3/12/2021
The Healing Art Creating a calming, healing environment for patients and caregivers. By Edel Quinn Mwende
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t is not unusual, of course, to come across art in a hospital, where lovely images can provide a modest but much-needed lift. Public hospitals have however generally slacked on this matter, but KNH is an exception! The façade of KNH Tower Block at the ground floor is warm and vibrant, thanks to the often unnoticeable range of mosaics that utter a quiet ‘halo’ as you walk right through the entrance at number 19. One mosaic stands out- a happy girl in the midst of smiling flowers and healthy butterflies; probably to depict hope to the unkeen passersby who receive intangible benefits of comfort from this piece of art. As one heads to the paediatric emergency, a series of artwork that comprise of familiar cartoons such as Walt Disney’s Goofy, A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh among other artwork that elicit positive feelings and reduce stressful thoughts present themselves along the walkway. A ‘wish you well’ mosaic perpetuates the atmosphere of calm, energy and positivity as one gets through gate A of the Tower Block. This is accompanied by other outstanding mosaics of a smiling family, dancing bear and monkey and a pianist dancing to his harmonic set of pitches. It is unimaginable that a child’s visual appetite would only be satiated by medical equipment in a ward and KNH general pediatric ward has taken care of this. “Ward 3C was adopted by Magnate ventures in 2018 and the refurbishment’s interior look and feel reflect comments the partners directly solicited from the children, parents and nurses in the wards,” highlighted Ms. Josephine Okumu, ACN 3C. Pablo Picasso once said, “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Walking into ward 3C presents a colorful aura presented in orange, blue and
PHOTO | NICHOLAS WAMALWA A series of mosaics along the walkway towards the paediatric emergency unit
yellow colored lines on the non-slip floors that also swallow the sounds of footsteps. “The lines lead to the admission rooms that also have similar colors to the colorful lines-a helpful design to the parents, since they guide the children to find their way back to their wards,” said Ms. Okumu. This was such an eyeopener to the Newsline team, since it is honestly not an obvious benefit for anyone to consciously notice. Newsline took a stroll with two children; Irene and David- both nephrology cases. David is newly diagnosed but Irene has been on follow up since age 5. This walk revealed the unimaginable impact of art to them. At the entrance of ward 3C is a picture of a squirrel, owl, antelope, bird, mouse and giraffe in a forest and the children say that this brings the feeling of nature from the outside world to them since they cannot leave the ward. Not far away, another picture of a squirrel, antelope and bird during autumn is pasted on the corridor towards the children’s bathroom (whose signage, like all the signage in the ward, has a teddy bear on it). “The antelope is secretly watching
ISSUE 25 | Kenyatta National Hospital Newsline
Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life. Pablo Picasso
the squirrel for an opportunity to hunt him down and the bird is watching from afar as he laughs at the squirrel since he is about to be eaten,” said an elated 8-year-old David. What a pleasant distraction for the children who want to plumb the specifics of this piece of art! “Inside the rooms, there is the Lord’s prayer whose color matches the interior theme, and the children’s favorite cartoon
PHOTO | NICHOLAS WAMALWA Orange, blue and yellow colored lines in ward 3C
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