Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni has kicked off a public awareness initiative titled “Epuka Uchafu Afya Nyumbani” to promote proper disposal of lead waste and encourage sustainable lifestyle practices to enhance environmental cleanliness in West Pokot.
The initiative is the first of its kind in the country to be rolled out in all 47 counties with the aim of promoting public health and environmental hygiene, focusing on creating a cleaner and healthier community.
Speaking during the launch of “Epuka Uchafu Afya Nyumbani” initiative held at Makutano Primary School in Kapenguria Town in West Pokot County, the Principal Secretary (PS) addressed the significant public health concerns that have arisen both nationally and globally.
The PS highlighted that numerous factors contribute to the health challenges, noting that many of them could be easily mitigated at the grassroots level within households.
She underscored that the campaign, dubbed Epuka Uchafu Afya Nyumbani, aims to promote adherence to sound public health practices at the household level, in marketplaces, and at workplaces, advocating for universal adoption by all individuals.
“Therefore, we are launching our National campaign, dubbed “Epuka Uchafu”, to ensure that at the household level, in markets, and at work, we observe good public health practices which must be adopted by each and every one of us,’’ she declared.
She expressed her desire for the public to be accorded sufficient time to maintain cleanliness and to further educate the community on the importance of good hygiene.
She asserted that concerns regarding cholera should not be prevalent, as the Ministry of Health is determined to alleviate the disease burden at the household level.
Furthermore, she stated that they are collaborating closely to integrate tree planting into the daily lives of West Pokot residents, emphasising the necessity of involving the community in tree planting initiatives alongside the Ministry of Health.
“Remember climate change issues are joint at the hip with health because many respiratory diseases will come into our communities due to extreme climate weather conditions where more hit and rain has become a problem,” explained Muthoni.
She highlighted that West Pokot County was identified as a priority area for initiating the campaign, emphasising the necessity of achieving full compliance with the initiative.
She stated that the county has successfully enrolled 2,583 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to assist in alleviating the disease burden.
She noted that CPHs have so far registered 44,800 households and facilitated diabetic screenings, subsequently referring individuals to the nearest health facility for further evaluation.
“In this County alone, I am aware that we have 2583 community health promoters, and out of these, they have registered 44,800 households, and they have been able to screen them for diabetics and refer them to the nearest health facility,” said Muthoni.
She stated that the Community Health Promoters (CHP) have the capacity to visit homes and provide education on matters related to personal hygiene, environmental hygiene, and water and sanitation.
Governor Simon Kachapin expressed his delight at the county being chosen as the starting point for the Epuka Uchafu Afya Nyumbani campaign, an initiative which aims to promote cleanliness and improve public health within the community.
Kachapin highlighted the importance of fostering a clean environment as a foundation for better health outcomes.
He encouraged residents to actively participate in the campaign and work together to create a more sanitary and thriving community.
The governor emphasised that numerous health issues arise from unsanitary conditions and urged everyone to take on the role of ambassadors for cleanliness.
He said that by maintaining clean environments, we can significantly reduce the risk of disease and promote overall well-being within our communities.
He encouraged the residents to embrace this responsibility voluntarily, ensuring that cleanliness is maintained consistently throughout the community.
At the same time, it was a sigh of relief for expectant mothers following announcements that the Linda Mama programme will not be abolished after all, with PS asking all mothers to register for the Social Health Insurance cover to benefit from the universal scheme.
She appealed to Kenyans to refrain from politicising health matters, assuring that the government was committed to ensuring that all Kenyans, irrespective of their economic class, had equitable access to proper healthcare cover.
By Anthony Melly and Agneta Chebet
