There is a shortage of dermatologists and skin clinics in Kenya. Each year, Africa Psoriasis Organization conducts free health camps to provide diagnosis and treatment for psoriasis and other skin diseases among poor children. To make the program more sustainable and benefit more people, APO is establishing a Psoriasis Treatment and Resource Center in Nairobi that will provide free diagnosis and care for children with psoriasis and train health workers. This will help address issues of misdiagnosis, lack of access to treatment, and limited data for research.

1. ACCESS TO TREATMENT
What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis, a serious inflammatory, non-communicable autoimmune disease that has no known cause and cure
and carries severe physical, mental and socio-economic burden, affects 2% - 3% of global population or 125
million people worldwide. This means that out of the Kenya’s 40 million people, up to 1 million are suffering
from psoriasis.
Physically, psoriasis is uncomfortable, itchy and painful with inflamed, cracked and bleeding lesions. People
with psoriasis are embarrassed, humiliated and tend to hide their skin from the critical public who are
uninformed about psoriasis. Psoriasis is often mistaken for contagious diseases like leprosy, syphilis and even
HIV/AIDs. Psoriasis may lead to alcoholism, severe depression and suicidal ideation brought about by shame
and frustration.
Burden of the disease – the Overwhelming Impact!
The real danger of psoriasis lies beneath the surface of the skin lesions. It has been published in several
scientific papers that psoriasis is closely related with other life-threatening, non-communicable and chronic
diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lupus, obesity, cancer among others and can result in early
death.
Being in a developing country with less resources and inadequate healthcare, many Kenyans with psoriasis
have little-to-no access to proper treatments and medications. Many psoriasis patients are either
misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. Given this scenario, Kenyans who suffer from psoriasis are exposed to more
risks and dangers.
Stigmatization is rampant and it is not uncommon to hear of children who have changed to several schools or
have given up schooling all together. Job losses among those with psoriasis are equally common phenomena
leading to loss of livelihood.
Help Increase Access to Skin Healthcare.
Summary
In 2000, 189 world leaders from both rich and poor countries signed the Millennium Declaration, an
agreement to work together to achieve eight specific goals. Two of them were to reduce child mortality
rates and improve maternal health. While serving children affected by psoriasis, Africa Psoriasis
Organization has singled out one and most recognized fundamental barriers to achieving these goals for
people suffering from chronic skin diseases is chronic shortage of skin care trained health workers.
What is the issue, problem, or challenge?
Chronic shortage of skin care trained health workers has left patients with chronic skin diseases with little-to-
no access to proper treatment and medication. Affected children fail to achieve their dreams due to
discrimination, stigmatization, hopelessness and pain occasioned by the inadequate healthcare. They end
up either misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, hence exposing them to more risks and dangers and prolonged

2. suffering. It is common to hear of affected children who have changed schools several times or have given up
school all together.
How will this project solve this problem?
A fully trained and well-supported community health worker can effectively deliver treatments and provide
health education to 5,000 children in a year. 300 Community health workers will be trained on basic
diagnosis of skin diseases, administer medicines, provide support including appropriate referrals and give
self management advice to patients. Free treatment and skin health education camps by qualified
dermatologists will be conducted in schools in Nairobi to help affected pupils access initial correct
diagnosis, medication and increased knowledge about chronic skin diseases.
Potential Long Term Impact
300 community health workers in Kenya will acquire training through this program in 2015 and will provide
these essential health services to 1,500,000 children annually. Pupils will acquire basic knowledge about
self management of their skin diseases. Stigmatization will be eliminated and increased school
performance and completion rate among children suffering from chronic skin diseases will be achieved.
APSO will post reports about how funds have been used and will email these reports to donors.
Summary
There are no enough dermatologists and skin clinics in Kenya. Each year
Africa Psoriasis Organization (APSO) conducts free health camps to
facilitate access to correct diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis and other
skin diseases to children from poor families in slums and rural areas.
What is the issue, problem, or challenge?
Psoriasis, a disease affecting more than 1 million Kenyans is considered
rare. There is no effort to provide specialized diagnosis and treatment and
with less than 30 dermatologists in Kenya, access to proper diagnosis and
treatment is impossible for the poor. At Africa Psoriasis Organization, it is
common to encounter cases of individuals who struggle for over 10 years
before knowing they suffer from psoriasis. Lack of proper and affordable
medicines is a reality. Study shows that hopelessness and stigmatization
make those affected abandon their livelihood. Affected Children keep

3. changing schools and eventually drop out at early age. No reliable data
exist for use in research and disease management.
How will this project solve this problem?
Psoriasis Treatment and Resource Center will have full time
dermatologists / skin care specialists and all medicines. Diagnosis and
treatment will be provided free of charge to children. Those diagnosed
with psoriasis will continue to be assisted through Africa Psoriasis
Organization's Patient's Assistance Program. The Program assists psoriasis
patients with education to encourage and improve self care, reduce
stigmatization and increase understanding. Reliable resource will be
available for research and disease management.
Potential Long Term Impact
The Treatment center will reduce cases of undiagnosed and untreated
patients in Kenya by 2015. Through Psoriasis Patients Assistance
program, patients and public understanding about psoriasis will be
increased, stigmatization will be reduced and improvement of livelihood
of people affected by psoriasis and other skin diseases will be realized.
Increased school completion rate among school children suffering from
psoriasis and other chronic skin diseases will be achieved by 2015. The
center will support research for cure.
How you can help?
Psoriasis Treatment and resource center project will feature on
GlobalGiving Foundation’s - June 2014 Open Challenge, a fundraising
opportunity for nonprofit organizations around the world. The Challenge
will run for 30 days beginning June 1st to June 30th 2014.

4. In order to succeed in GlobalGiving’s Open Challenge, Africa Psoriasis
Organization must raise $5,000 from 40 donors by 30th June 2014. If we
meet this threshold, we will be permanently featured on GlobalGiving’s
website, where we have the potential to benefit from corporate
relationships, exposure to a new donor network, and access to dozens of
online fundraising tools. Additionally, we could earn as much as $3,000 in
financial prizes for raising the most money.
To help us reach the threshold of $5,000 from 40 donors, E-mail your
pledge of at least $50 or more to mypledge@psoriasisafrica.org
We’re also going to need your help spreading the word. Please share
this opportunity with your friends and family.
Access to Treatment
Access to healthcare in Africa
In 2000, 189 world leaders from both rich and poor countries signed the Millennium
Declaration, an agreement to work together to achieve eight specific goals around
healthcare, education, poverty and environmental sustainability. Two of these goals were
to reduce child mortality rates and improve maternal health.
The chronic shortage of trained health workers in the world’s poorest countries is
recognised as one of the most fundamental barriers to achieving these goals. A fully
trained and well-supported community health worker can effectively deliver treatments and
provide health education to 5,000 children in a year.
In Kenya, Africa Psoriasis Organization APSO has committed to help provide better
healthcare for children suffering from psoriasis and other skin diseases, by providing
community health workers with training to diagnose skin diseases, administer medicines,
provide support, and give self management advice to patients.
So far, 18 community health workers in Kenya have been trained through this programme
and are providing these essential health services to 3,000 patients. Other activities include
educating pupils about psoriasis and networking general public around this health issue.
This video captures some of the many activities accomplished so far.

5. PSORIASIS BEHANDELING EN RESOURCE CENTER
Er zijn geen genoeg dermatologen en huid klinieken in Kenia. Elk jaar
Afrika Psoriasis Organisatie (APSO (Antifraud Policy) voert gratis
medische kampen tot het vergemakkelijken van de toegang tot correcte
diagnose en behandeling van psoriasis en andere huidaandoeningen van
arme gezinnen in sloppenwijken en op het platteland. Om ons programma
duurzame en ten gunste van een grotere populatie, Afrika Psoriasis
Organisatie is het starten van een Psoriasis Behandeling en Resource
Centre in Nairobi. Het centrum zorgt voor gratis, een correcte diagnose en
behandeling van kinderen die het slachtoffer zijn van psoriasis en andere
huidaandoeningen. Het zal ook belangrijke gegevens en informatie voor
gebruik bij onderzoek en disease management.
Wat is het probleem, probleem of uitdaging?
Psoriasis, een ziekte waar meer dan 1 miljoen Kenianen is zeldzaam
worden beschouwd. Er is geen enkele poging om te voorzien in
gespecialiseerde diagnostiek en behandeling en met minder dan 30
dermatologen in Kenia, toegang tot goede diagnose en behandeling niet
mogelijk is voor de armen. In Afrika Psoriasis Organisatie, het is
gebruikelijk om gevallen tegengekomen van mensen die strijden voor
meer dan 10 jaar voordat ze lijdt aan psoriasis. Gebrek aan goede en
betaalbare medicijnen is een realiteit. Onderzoek toont aan dat hopeloze
en stigmatisering die getroffen verlaten hun levensonderhoud. Gevolgen
voor Kinderen voortdurend scholen en uiteindelijk afhaken op jonge
leeftijd. Geen betrouwbare gegevens bestaan voor onderzoek en disease
management.
Hoe zal dit project dit probleem oplossen?
Psoriasis Behandeling en Resource Center zal fulltime dermatologen /
huidverzorging specialisten en alle medicijnen. Diagnose en behandeling

6. wordt gratis verstrekt aan kinderen. De diagnose psoriasis wordt verder
bijgestaan door Afrika Psoriasis Organisatie de patiënt Hulp Programma.
Het Programma helpt psoriasis patiënten met onderwijs te stimuleren en te
verbeteren zelfzorg, stigmatisering te verminderen en meer begrip.
Betrouwbare bron wordt beschikbaar voor onderzoek en disease
management
Mogelijke Lange Termijn Effecten van De
Behandeling centrum zal minder gevallen van niet behandelde en
onbehandelde patiënten in Kenia in 2015. Door Psoriasis Patiënten,
patiënten en publiek inzicht over psoriasis wordt verhoogd, stigmatisering
wordt verlaagd en de verbetering van bestaan van mensen die lijden aan
psoriasis en andere huidaandoeningen zullen worden gerealiseerd. Hogere
school voltooid onder schoolgaande kinderen die lijden aan psoriasis en
andere chronische huidaandoeningen zal worden bereikt in 2015. Het
centrum ondersteunt onderzoek voor genezen.

7. wordt gratis verstrekt aan kinderen. De diagnose psoriasis wordt verder
bijgestaan door Afrika Psoriasis Organisatie de patiënt Hulp Programma.
Het Programma helpt psoriasis patiënten met onderwijs te stimuleren en te
verbeteren zelfzorg, stigmatisering te verminderen en meer begrip.
Betrouwbare bron wordt beschikbaar voor onderzoek en disease
management
Mogelijke Lange Termijn Effecten van De
Behandeling centrum zal minder gevallen van niet behandelde en
onbehandelde patiënten in Kenia in 2015. Door Psoriasis Patiënten,
patiënten en publiek inzicht over psoriasis wordt verhoogd, stigmatisering
wordt verlaagd en de verbetering van bestaan van mensen die lijden aan
psoriasis en andere huidaandoeningen zullen worden gerealiseerd. Hogere
school voltooid onder schoolgaande kinderen die lijden aan psoriasis en
andere chronische huidaandoeningen zal worden bereikt in 2015. Het
centrum ondersteunt onderzoek voor genezen.