Kiambu County government has disbursed medical kits to community health volunteers (CHV’s) in the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic among the health services providers.
The colourful handing over ceremony presided over by Kiambu governor Dr. James Nyoro was held at the county headquarters.
It is envisaged that the kits will enable the CHV to offer services with ease to the community and ensure that they were protected from possible infection during the course of their duties
Speaking to theCHV commonly referred as the ‘blue brigade’ the governor urged the volunteers to extend their services to rural areas where they were more than needed.
The health kits offered by the county government will be used to cover lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. “A person in the rural area will say he/she has malaria but actually has hypertension because the symptoms are similar. The health kits will be of more help to the people in situations like this and will also lead to the discovery of other diseases that the patients were unaware of,” said the governor.
The governor commissioned a team led by Doctor Patrick Nyaga to strategize on a stipend to be given to the CHV’s and is expecting a report from the team in a fortnight. The stipend, he noted that it was meant to appreciate the efforts of the CHV’s especially during the time when Covid-19 had continued to spread countrywide.
He also stated that there was an initiative to ensure all level 3 hospitals in the sub counties had enough drugs to treat patients with communicable diseases especially the elderly so that they do not traverse long distances in search of medical attention.
“We have also donated 5 laundry equipment to level 5 hospitals in the sub counties and plans are in place to equip all level 4 hospitals in the county with this equipment which will be included in next year’s budget,” he said.
Present at the event was also the personal assistant to the President Kamau wa Migwi who lauded the county for the progress it had made in universal health care which is among the big 4.
He was of the opinion that the governor considers facilitating the CHV so that they feel appreciated as they continue service to the public.
The community health volunteers program which was launched on February 5th 2019 by the Kiambu county government aims at improving the community health care to the residents through the people who know them and work within their communities.
The first Lady of Kiambu County Ms Sarah Karanja, who is also the ambassador of the program, graced the occasion stating that she appreciates nurses and doctors for the commitment in their work.
Other dignitaries who graced the occasion included Dr. Patrick Nyaga, the Chief Health Officer in Kiambu, Emma Wanjiku the vice chair health officer in Kiambu and the County Executive Committee Member for health in Kiambu county Government Dr, Joseph Murega.
By Lydia Shiloya and Ian Kariuki & Peter Mwaura
