Baringo residents are set to benefit from improved quality health access, thanks to the 1,500 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) commissioned by the County.
The County Governor, Benjamin Cheboi, said the promoters have been equipped with vital health kits such as blood pressure and ultrasound machines, which will come in handy in the diagnosis of diseases.
“They will test your blood pressure levels, diabetes and if they exceed the normal range, you will be referred to a doctor, who will give you better prescriptions on how to handle the disease,” he said.
Speaking at Marigat playground during this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations, the governor said expectant mothers will be scanned via ultrasound to check whether the unborn child is in a good position, and if not, the mother will be referred to a proper medical facility where a caesarean section will be done.
He also urged all residents of Baringo to embrace the work of CHPs, whose main responsibility will be to conduct registration, deliver key health messages to households, and treat common illnesses and injuries with the support and guidance of Health Assistants.
“They will also organise, mobilise, and lead village health activities and guide the community in health improvement and disease prevention,” said the governor, expounding on the roles of the commissioned CHPs.
Cheboi said his administration is in the process of improving the hospital in Kabarnet to be a proper Referral Hospital, with all the diagnostic services.
“We will do everything to make Baringo County Referral Hospital have diagnostic services, so that there will be no need to go to other hospitals,” he said.
He called on Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) to work on the budget so that they could ensure there was a doctor in each hospital.
The governor was responding to Barwessa Ward MCA, Josephat Loorio, who stated that 42 hospitals in Baringo had no health service providers and that recruitment of more staff should be done urgently for better health.
The Governor also launched the Primary Healthcare Network in Baringo South Sub-County, thanking the Ministry of Health and USAID, who provided financial and technical support, to establish and operationalize the programme.
“It is an administrative health network established to improve access to coordinated primary healthcare services aimed at strengthening primary healthcare by enabling communities to access the healthcare services they need next to them through an efficient network of health practitioners and facilities,” said the governor.
The governor said the programme will be rolled out to the other six sub-counties in due course.
He cautioned health workers and county staff at large against laxity, corruption, and not delivering on their work, saying he will not hesitate to fire those found culpable of the vices.
Baringo County Commissioner Stephen Kutwa asked the residents to cooperate with CHPs so as to make the health preventive programme which was launched by the President successful.
Area Legislator (MP), Charles Kamuren, revealed that a consensus has been reached to establish Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) at Marigat, adding that through the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), Sh. 500,000 has been set aside to help process the title of the land allocated to the institution.
“I am also allocating Sh. 20 million from the NG-CDF to construct the new institution, which will help in the growth of Marigat town,” promised the MP.
By Christopher Kiprop
