The County Government of Nakuru has embarked on training 300 Community Health Promoters (CHPS), to enhance their capacity in service delivery and help reduce healthcare cost and burden of diseases in the County.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM)-In-Charge of Health Services, Ms Roseline Mungai said the County was committed to improving access to essential health services for residents by empowering the primary healthcare workforce to address promotive and preventive healthcare needs more effectively, adding that the training was targeted to building the capacity of CHPs on the community health module, ensuring they can provide high-quality grassroots health services.
Ms Mungai stated that Governor, Susan Kihika’s Administration was continually ensuring that community health promoters, are well equipped with adequate skills, to do their work well, as one way of reducing the burden on the healthcare system, by preventing diseases, promoting healthier lifestyles and providing vital health support to families.
She said that the training in progress was focusing on Integrated Community Case Management (ICCM) and Non-Communicable Diseases and affirmed that the County Government had committed to ensure the success of the Community Health Promoters (CHPS) programme, by allocating adequate resources.
Ms Mungai emphasized that strengthening of Primary Health Care (PHC), was at the heart of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and, therefore, as the CHP programme kicks-off there was need for adequate support from all stakeholders.
She said the County Government valued the health workforce because it is central to the delivery of quality health services and that they were exploring local and international development partnerships, to prioritize support for the community health program, as a key contributor to UHC.
The Community Health Promoters, she said, are expected to handle patients at the households, and refer them to Level 2 hospitals, where they are likely to be referred to Level 3, 4 and 5, as per the need of care.
The CECM said that the County would also educate community members on safe drinking water, availability of toilets and handwashing facilities, made of locally available materials and be encouraged to report any events in the villages such as cases of diarrhoea, cholera and malaria.
“Community health approach, is one way of helping reverse the trend in worsening health indicators, like maternal and child deaths, and reducing burden of diseases, more so communicable diseases,” said Ms Mungai.
The CECM added that the initial training takes about 10 days, and for a further three months to cover the entire training package, which is prioritized based on the disease burden of each county.
“For example, promoters in malaria pandemic zones, are said to be taught basics of malaria and prevention. They are also equipped with basics in non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension,” she said.
Other segments include sensitizing individuals on safe environments, clean cooking, importance of toilet use and consumption of safe water and handwashing.
According to Ms Mungai, focus on promotive and preventive health, will revamp the healthcare system, and reduce ever rising healthcare costs.
