Healthcare challenges faced by street children on the street of Bungoma Town Bungoma County, Kenya

Abstract

Street children globally face healthcare challenges amidst the eco for universal healthcare for all by the United Nation. In spite of the clarion call, the Kenyan government caters for children in public schools leaving the street children alone on the streets take care of themselves; The ‘forgotten’ children are seen on the street walking aimlessly wearing dirty/torn clothes and emaciated due to hunger, sniffing glue, limping due injuries sustained on the streets, scavenging for food among others. Indeed, the state of street children is really wanting, their rights to free education, free healthcare, food and shelter among other children rights as enshrined in many policy documents are undermined and cannot be overlooked. The study therefore, sought to establish healthcare challenges faced by street children in Bungoma County, to determine the pull and push factors forcing street children to migrate to Bungoma County towns, to establish problems faced by street children and to examine intervention measures on challenges faced by street children in Bungoma County. The study was anchored oh the notion that children leaving in the streets are human beings that should enjoy their rights as anyone else. The study used descriptive survey design which targeted street children, social workers, Ngo’s, churches, Mosques, children’s officers/Departments of children in Bungoma County. Data was collected using Questionnaire for street children, focused group discussion with social workers and key informant interviews were conducted with children county officers. Findings of the study show that street children in Bungoma County face many challenges: Health, emotional, social, economic, educational, environmental, political and technological challenges. Pull and push factors were; poverty, abandonment by parents and guardians, strict/hostile /abusive/high handedness parents/guardians, pure mischief and adventurous. In order for the street children to enjoy life like any other normal child, the following mitigating measures were to be addressed.