Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has commissioned 2,387 Community Health Workers (CHVs) who will be receiving monthly stipends.
Speaking at Bomu Stadium, the Governor reiterated his commitment to enhancing the provision of basic interventions for healthcare services through the Mombasa Care Programme.
The healthcare programme targets to provide NHIF cover to 10,000 people; they will be identified through medical camps.
“One of the key ways to achieve this was through regularizing a compensation mechanism for CHVs as they play an important role in advocating for underserved communities to receive services,’’ said Governor Nassir.
“This month we will have 30 medical camps; doctors will identify patients who deserve to be beneficiaries of NHIF cover. We will be issuing 10,000 NHIF covers to families. The CHVs will visit the homes of the beneficiaries to determine the severity of beneficiaries,” added the Governor.
The Governor directed the CHVs to ensure Mombasa streets are fumigated to prevent the Chikungunya virus and malaria. “The cost of treating is nine times more than the cost of prevention,” he said.
At the moment, the Department of Health is implementing the Mombasa Island Larviciding Project, water bodies which are likely to be breeding sites for anopheles mosquitoes are identified using a mobile application.
The Governor further directed the CEC in charge of Health to make necessary arrangements to enroll the CHVs on health courses that they are qualified for and to facilitate them to be later absorbed by the County Government.
Meanwhile, Governor Nassir has extended the Mombasa ni Yangu Youth Programme for two months.
He directed the Environment Department to provide the youths with identification cards with QR codes and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
Governor Nassir exuded confidence that the National Government will roll out a similar program that will complement the county government programme.
On the heavy rains pounding the county, the Governor directed the Department of Environment to work closely with the Department of Roads to ensure roads are not flooded.
“There is a tender that has been floated by Trademark to check drainage matters. It is in the evaluation stage, we cannot solve problems overnight but we will improve the lives of the people of Mombasa,’’ disclosed Governor Nassir.
By Sadik Hassan
