• Nakhumicha said the national government is waiting for an official communication from the county to release the stipend.
• The CS said the government is planning to employ the health promoters on permanent and pensionable terms.
Image: ELIAS YAA
Plans to pay stipends to community health promoters have been finalised, Health CS Susan Nakhumicha has said.
She said the national government was ready three months ago, but could not start the process until respective counties passed relevant laws.
Speaking in Kilifi county on Wednesday, Nakhumicha said the community health promoters will be the drivers of the universal health coverage.
“The community health promoters are the soldiers that will lead the war on various disasters in the country. We are ready to support your efforts. The last thing that we were supposed to accomplish is the stipend," the CS said.
"Part of the reason for my coming here today is to ask the county government of Kilifi if they are ready to pay the stipend and I have been told everything is in place. As a government, we were ready three months ago.”
Nakhumicha said the national government is awaiting an official communication from the county to release the stipend.
“What we are waiting for is for your county government to send us the numbers and before Christmas, you will receive your stipend,” she said.
The CS said the government is planning to employ the health promoters on permanent and pensionable terms.
Kilifi Deputy Governor Flora Chibule said the county assembly has already passed the County Community Health Service Bill, paving the way for the payment of the stipend.
She said Kilifi has 3,800 community health promoters, which translates to 82 per cent coverage.
“The national government is supporting 3,650 CHP with kits and smartphones. We expect the remaining 150 to be supported also," Chibule said.
The kits comprise glucometer and BP machines.
The deputy governor said the county has enrolled all community health promoters for NHIF and paid all premiums for the 2023-24 financial year.
During the visit, Nakhumicha delivered medical supplies to the county worth Sh6.3 million in response to the effects of El Niño.
The consignment included cholera kits, infection control medicine and mosquito nets.
“I know there are no reported cases of cholera in Kilifi but we have brought cholera kits so that you can deal with the issue should it be reported. We have also brought pharmaceuticals worth Sh5.8 million because we know the rains come with different ailments," the CS said.
"We have also brought infection control medicines to spray all areas with stagnant water. This will ensure all the vectors are destroyed. We have also brought 5,000 mosquito nets.”
The infection control medicine is worth Sh500,000.
The CS affirmed the government’s support to counties in responding to any disasters arising from the rains.
Apart from the medical supplies, the CS also distributed medical kits to community health promoters in Kilifi.
She urged the CHP not to charge citizens for their services.
Nakhumicha was accompanied by Government Spokesman Isaac Mwaura.