Kiambu County department of health in collaboration with Amref Health Africa and the Ministry of Health, launched a comprehensive Community Health Worker (CHW) Registry.
The initiative aims at enhancing primary healthcare delivery by streamlining data management, enhancing resource allocation and strengthening community-based healthcare services.
According to Kiambu county Governor Kimani Wamatangi, the initiative aligns with the county’s Community Health Act that states that every resident of Kiambu must have access to essential healthcare.
“My administration is implementing new strategies to strengthen our healthcare system, with the Community Health Act playing a central role in this vision, this will ensure that every resident of Kiambu has access to essential healthcare services at the community level, while empowering health promoters to actively contribute to better health outcomes,” said Wamatangi
In support of this vision, Wamatangi announced that all 3,070 registered Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in the county will be enrolled in a comprehensive care program that will provide them with the necessary resources and support to deliver quality healthcare.
Kiambu County, being the first in Kenya to introduce a stipend for CHPs, will increase the monthly stipend to better recognize the hard work and dedication of the CHPs in the county
Wamatangi further highlighted that specialized training will be provided starting this year to enhance their capacity in delivering top-notch care across the county’s sub-counties.
Dr. Elias Maina, Kiambu County’s Health Executive Committee Member for health services (CECM), emphasized the importance of the registry, stating, “A well-structured CHW registry is essential for improving primary healthcare, it will ensure accurate data on our workforce, enhances service coordination, and ultimately leads to better health outcomes for our residents.”
The rollout began with a prior training session for key health officials, who will oversee the registration of Community Health Promoters (CHPs) starting today, a critical step in ensuring accurate workforce data and improving service coordination at the community level.
This includes Community Health Promoters (CHPs, Sub County Community Strategy Focal Persons, Sub County Health Records and Information Officers (HRIOs), Sub County Public Health Officers, and Community Health Assistants from each ward.
Meanwhile, county healthcare workers, teamed up with the Kenya Prisons Service Monday for a clean-up exercise in Kiambu level 5 hospital to transform the facility into a cleaner and healthier environment, demonstrating a strong drive-in promoting hygiene and sanitation in the hospital.
By Yvonne Wangeci
