
Status update of Community Health Promoters
This data is at January 10, 2025
Chief Officer Nyakaba urged stakeholders to prioritize Nairobi County when introducing new health service models.
In Summary
Nairobi
County Public Health Service has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening
community health services in the city.
Chief
Officer for Public Health Tom Nyakaba said Community Health Promoters (CHPs)
play a vital role in primary healthcare provision.
By acting as
a bridge between communities and formal health facilities, he said they promote
health education and disease prevention and facilitate access to essential
healthcare services, especially in underserved areas.
The Public
Health Chief Officer, reassured the CHPs on Governor Sakajas's commitment to
ensuring that CHPs receive the necessary support to deliver essential health
services.
“Under the
leadership of Governor Sakaja, the county government has committed enough resources to support
Universal Health Coverage and recognizes the vital role played by Community
Health Promoters in achieving this goal. Further, Governor Sakaja continues
to ensure the CHPs receive their monthly
stipends of 3500/- shillings from the
county and another 2500/- totaling to 6000/-, There are discussions to have the
stipends increased considering the key role CHPs continue to play in the community. As a county, we have consistently supported
CHPs and are ready to address any challenges faced at the registry level,” said
Nyakaba.
The CHW
register in discussion will serve as a database for providing data on all
community health workers operating at level one of care, thereby formalizing
their roles as per the PHC Act 2023.
“The
initiative will enhance the efficient use of resources, foster accountability,
and promote professional development," Nyakaba said.
He spoke at a
workshop focusing on the Kenya Community Health Workers (CHW) Registry.
The event
organized by the Nairobi City County Government in partnership with the Ministry of Health and AMREF Health Africa (learning
4 life Project) discussed the progress,
challenges, and future plans for supporting and improving the livelihoods
of Community Health Workers( CHPs and
CHAs) under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) framework.
Chief
Nyakaba urged stakeholders to prioritize Nairobi County when introducing new
health service models, stating that the capital should serve as a benchmark for
other counties.
“Nairobi
should be the first priority when new models are introduced so that other
counties can emulate. Our focus remains on ensuring the end of AIDS and TB by
2030, and we believe strengthening community health structures is key to achieving
this vision,” he added.
Director
Preventive and promotive health services Dr. Carol Ngunu provided data on
Nairobi’s robust community health network, highlighting the county’s efforts in
training and supporting CHPs.
“Currently,
Nairobi has 7,820 Community Health Promoters who receive stipends from both the
county and the national government. Additionally, 50 CHPs have undergone
community health assistant training at the Kenya Medical Training College
(KMTC). All CHPs have formal letters of engagement from the county,” she said.
However, she
noted the need to increase the number of community health assistants (CHAs) to
enhance service delivery at the community level.
Ag. Deputy Director of Community Health Services Judy Macharia, who also spoke at the event,
acknowledged Nairobi’s leadership in community health system strengthening,
stating that the county has the highest number of functional CHPs in the
country.
“Nairobi
leads in the number of functional CHPs, and 7,372 CHPS have been fully kitted
in collaboration with the MOH to ensure they are well-equipped to serve our
communities effectively,” she said.
The workshop
highlighted the importance of the CHW registry in ensuring streamlining data management
and improving health service delivery at the grassroots level.
With the
county’s continued investment and commitment, Nairobi remains at the forefront
of strengthening community health as part of the broader Universal Health
Coverage agenda.
The workshop
was attended by a team from the Ministry of Health (MOH), Chief Officers Dr.
Irene Muchoki Medical Services, Hibrahim Otieno Health Facilities, Director ICT
Infrustructure Truphena Ogonda, and AMREF, among others.
This data is at January 10, 2025