Health PS applauds Kirinyaga Community Health Promoters

Public Health and Professional Standards PS Mary Muthoni has hailed 1,222 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) based in Kirinyaga County for their selfless service delivery.Speaking at Kerugoya, during a monitoring visit at their training venue, Muthoni emphasised the central role that the CHPs play in advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across the region.She encouraged them to continue registering more households to achieve the 100% target, adding that her department was committed to training all cadres of health workers.'For now, we are training CHPs on the basic modules of healthcare, including mother and child health, the use and distribution of dewormers, and basic water treatment methods, among others,' the PS said, observing that the shared arrangement to have the CHPs given a stipend has gone a long way in alleviating some of the challenges which they previously faced.Muthoni commended the CHPs' commitment and the important role they play in enhancing health outcomes at the community level.She promised the health promoters that the government would come up with a policy framework that would include their certification and an increment in their monthly stipend.The two-week training that has been collaboratively facilitated by the county and the national government, as well as other partners, involved training the CHPs on the use of Electronic Health Information Systems among other aspects of health service.The electronic system enables the CHPs to communicate and transmit data between them and health facilities.They have also been trained on undertaking basic tests and making referrals, where necessary.The CHPs, commissioned eight months ago and deployed to the various Community Health Units within the county, form a critical component of healthcare service delivery in the county, since they are the first point of contact for patients in the community.The Kirinyaga County Executive for Health, George Karoki, observed that since the deployment of the CHPs in the communities, the number of referrals to the hospitals has increased.This is due to the fact that through basic tests such as blood pressure and blood sugar, many people with previously undetected ailments have been diagnosed and put on relevant treatment.Karoki appreciated the National Government's support for the CHP programme, which included the issuance of 854 kits and phones, and requested for the disbursement of the remaining kits to enhance the performance of the rest of CHPS.Cyrus Kibingo, a CHP from Karia Unit, said that the capacity building had enabled them to perform some of the functions that they could not perform previously.He also thanked the government for giving them a stipend, which has also gone a long way in enhancing their operations.'We are now enlightened and equipped to carry out certain tests, such as blood pressure and blood sugar, and make the relevant referrals. All these years we worked without any facilitation, but now we have some stipend for which we are grateful,' he said.On her part, Rac hael Njambi, a Community Health Promoter from Kiaritha, also noted that the two-week training had equipped them with the relevant knowledge that they will share with members of their community as far as health matters are concerned.Source : Kenya News Agency