In a significant move to improve healthcare accessibility, the Busia County Government, in partnership with World Bicycle Relief and Living Goods, has distributed 324 bicycles to Community Health Promoters (CHPs) operating in Kamuriai, Teso North Sub County.
The initiative aimed at enhancing Social Health Authority (SHA) registration, with recent statistics showing Busia County lagging behind with a registration rate of 22%. The effort is expected to push this number higher by enrolling more people with SHA.
Speaking at the event, Busia Deputy Governor Arthur Odera urged residents of Kamuria to ignore widespread propaganda and register with the Social Health Authority, citing its benefits.
“We have solved the issue of mobility for you and therefore we expect you to reach out to more people and register them for SHA since we are lagging behind so that they can also benefit from affordable healthcare,” he said.
On his part, Nixon Otieno, the Monitoring and Evaluation Manager for World Bicycle Relief, emphasized the importance of mobility in healthcare delivery.
“By working closely with Living Goods and the Busia County Government, we are addressing one of the biggest challenges CHPs face, which is mobility. With these bicycles, CHPs can reach more households efficiently, leading to improved health outcomes,” he stated.
The Sub County Medical Officer of Health (MoH), Catherine Ng’erori, reiterated the county’s commitment to strengthening community health systems.
She noted that the initiative is also expected to reduce infant mortality rates as it enabled CHPs to reach this vulnerable group with essential healthcare interventions.
“These bicycles will not only improve SHA registration but will also ensure timely healthcare interventions, especially for mothers and young children,” she said.
With 324 CHPs now equipped with bicycles, the initiative marks a major milestone in the county’s efforts to expand healthcare coverage and improve health outcomes at the community level.
By Owen Mutai
