Nairobi County hosts workshop to empower community health workers

Nairobi County Public Health Service has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening community health services in the city.

Chief Officer for Public Health Tom Nyakaba said Community Health Promoters (CHPs) play a vital role in primary healthcare provision.

By acting as a bridge between communities and formal health facilities, he said they promote health education and disease prevention and facilitate access to essential healthcare services, especially in underserved areas.

The Public Health Chief Officer, reassured the CHPs on Governor Sakajas's commitment to ensuring that CHPs receive the necessary support to deliver essential health services.

“Under the leadership of Governor Sakaja, the county government has committed enough resources to support Universal Health Coverage and recognizes the vital role played by Community Health Promoters in achieving this goal. Further, Governor Sakaja continues to ensure the CHPs receive their monthly stipends of  3500/- shillings from the county and another 2500/- totaling to 6000/-, There are discussions to have the stipends increased considering the key role CHPs continue to play in the community.  As a county, we have consistently supported CHPs and are ready to address any challenges faced at the registry level,” said Nyakaba.

The CHW register in discussion will serve as a database for providing data on all community health workers operating at level one of care, thereby formalizing their roles as per the PHC Act 2023.

“The initiative will enhance the efficient use of resources, foster accountability, and promote professional development," Nyakaba said.

He spoke at a workshop focusing on the Kenya Community Health Workers (CHW) Registry.

The event organized by the Nairobi City County Government in partnership with the Ministry of Health and AMREF Health Africa (learning 4 life Project)  discussed the progress, challenges, and future plans for supporting and improving the livelihoods of  Community Health Workers( CHPs and CHAs) under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) framework.

Chief Nyakaba urged stakeholders to prioritize Nairobi County when introducing new health service models, stating that the capital should serve as a benchmark for other counties.

“Nairobi should be the first priority when new models are introduced so that other counties can emulate. Our focus remains on ensuring the end of AIDS and TB by 2030, and we believe strengthening community health structures is key to achieving this vision,” he added.

Director Preventive and promotive health services Dr. Carol Ngunu provided data on Nairobi’s robust community health network, highlighting the county’s efforts in training and supporting CHPs.

“Currently, Nairobi has 7,820 Community Health Promoters who receive stipends from both the county and the national government. Additionally, 50 CHPs have undergone community health assistant training at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC). All CHPs have formal letters of engagement from the county,” she said.

However, she noted the need to increase the number of community health assistants (CHAs) to enhance service delivery at the community level.

Ag. Deputy Director of Community Health Services Judy Macharia, who also spoke at the event, acknowledged Nairobi’s leadership in community health system strengthening, stating that the county has the highest number of functional CHPs in the country.

“Nairobi leads in the number of functional CHPs, and 7,372 CHPS have been fully kitted in collaboration with the MOH to ensure they are well-equipped to serve our communities effectively,” she said.

The workshop highlighted the importance of the CHW registry in ensuring streamlining data management and improving health service delivery at the grassroots level.

With the county’s continued investment and commitment, Nairobi remains at the forefront of strengthening community health as part of the broader Universal Health Coverage agenda.

The workshop was attended by a team from the Ministry of Health (MOH), Chief Officers Dr. Irene Muchoki Medical Services, Hibrahim Otieno Health Facilities, Director ICT Infrustructure Truphena Ogonda, and AMREF, among others.