Beyond the Knife: Doctors Transform Lives in Kwale County, Kenya

Kwale County, famed for its idyllic sandy beaches and sunlit hills, is a coastal paradise. Yet, beneath its beauty lies a hidden health crisis: Lymphatic Filariasis, a neglected tropical disease that causes hydrocele in men, leaving many burdened physically, emotionally, and socially. In a region where poverty, cultural stigma, and misinformation prevail, two extraordinary doctors, Dr Jasper Mwahanje and Dr Paul Gathuma, are leading a transformative effort to restore lives and dignity.

Hydrocele—a painful and debilitating swelling caused by the disease—has long crippled men in this region. Many suffer in silence, fearing surgery due to myths of witchcraft or lacking the financial means to access care. A single hydrocelectomy costs around $120, a price too steep for most. But through a collaboration between the Ministry of Health, the End Fund, and Amref Health Africa, these barriers are being broken. Together, they’ve launched facility-based Lymphatic Filariasis camps, with a mission to eliminate all cases in Kwale by 2025.

Restoring Hope, One Surgery at a Time

Dr Jasper Mwahanje, a medical officer at Samburu Sub-County Hospital, vividly recalls the case of Zuma Peku Saidi, a Barakis village resident who lived with hydrocele for decades. “By 2010, the swelling had grown so severe that I could barely walk or farm,” Zuma shares. “I avoided women and even celebrations, consumed by shame.” In January 2024, Dr Mwahanje performed Zuma’s surgery. Today, Zuma beams with pride. “I can walk, farm, and socialise again. I feel free for the first time in years,” he says, laughing as he twirls around, proudly showing his renewed confidence.

For Dr Mwahanje, stories like Zuma’s are proof of the transformative power of accessible healthcare. “Surgery is just one part of the solution,” he explains. “We also fight the stigma, showing communities that this isn’t witchcraft—it’s a treatable condition.”

Breaking Barriers, Changing Lives

At Kwale Sub-County Hospital, Dr Paul Gathuma takes a similar approach, blending medical care with cultural sensitivity. He recalls the journey of Hamisi Hussein Vunga, a 62-year-old farmer who initially dismissed his condition as a joke. “I avoided friends and even intimacy with my wife,” Hamisi admits. But after surgery, his life changed. “Now I work, socialise, and tell others not to fear. Being healthy is wealth,” he says.

Dr Gathuma reflects on these challenges. “Fear is our biggest enemy. Many delay seeking treatment due to myths and mistrust. But every patient we heal becomes an ambassador, inspiring others to come forward.”

Turning the Tide Against Lymphatic Filariasis

In a region where tropical diseases and misinformation thrive, the work of Dr Mwahanje and Dr Gathuma is nothing short of heroic. With over 580 surgeries completed and plans to conduct 420 more, their efforts are dismantling myths, restoring dignity, and inspiring hope. For patients like Mahsud Mkulu Vunga, a 74-year-old elder, the surgeries have been life-changing. “I’m as light as a young man again,” he says. “The real burden isn’t the operation—it’s carrying the hydrocele for years.”

As the doctors push towards eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis in Kwale, their work extends beyond the operating table. They are rebuilding trust, educating communities, and proving that no challenge—be it cultural stigma or poverty—is insurmountable. As Dr Mwahanje puts it, “Every patient healed is a step closer to a community free from fear, stigma, and the burden of this disease.”