Kenya’s Ministry of Health (MoH) has registered 8,525,305 households in the Electronic Community Health Information System. This marks significant progress towards the country’s target of registering 12.5 million households under the program, representing a 68% completion rate.
The MoH’s update highlights the crucial role played by Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in this initiative. So far, 106,504 CHPs have been trained, equipped, and paid stipends to enhance healthcare access at the grassroots level. These health workers have revisited over 7.2 million households to provide routine health services, strengthening the country’s preventive and promotive healthcare system.
Key Health Services Provided by CHPs
One of the major interventions led by CHPs includes mass screening for non-communicable diseases. To date, 27,190,222 diabetes screenings have been conducted, with 325,249 cases identified and referred for further management. Similarly, hypertension screenings have reached 18,362,172 individuals, resulting in 699,343 cases being referred for further assessment.
In maternal and child health, CHPs have assessed 6,868,262 children under five for common illnesses such as malnutrition, diarrhoea, malaria, and pneumonia. Additionally, they have identified and attended to 343,614 pregnant women, referring 134,102 expectant mothers to health facilities for antenatal care services.
Ensuring Proper Supervision of CHPs
To maintain efficiency in the community health program, the government has emphasized the need for each Community Health Unit to have a designated full-time Community Health Assistant (CHA). The recommended supervision ratio is one CHA for every 10 CHPs, ensuring quality healthcare delivery at the household level.
Strengthening Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
The deployment of CHPs aligns with Kenya’s broader Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki recently reported that 17 million Kenyans are registered under the UHC program, Taifa Care. In line with this, CHPs are actively enrolling more Kenyans into the newly established Social Health Authority (SHA), ensuring expanded access to healthcare services.
In November 2024, Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni commended CHPs for their dedication to healthcare transformation. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empowering CHPs with necessary tools and training to enhance service delivery.
As Kenya continues to refine its healthcare system, the ongoing registration efforts by CHPs remain critical in achieving universal healthcare and ensuring no citizen is left behind in accessing essential medical services.
