The Ministry of Health on Tuesday launched a two-week nationwide training programme for Community Health Promoters (CHPs) across eight counties to strengthen primary healthcare delivery.
Conducted in partnership with Amref Health Africa, the initiative aims to equip CHPs with essential knowledge and skills to advance Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage agenda.
The programme, being implemented by the Ministry’s Division of Community Health in partnership with Amref Health Africa in Kenya, focuses on building the capacity of frontline health workers who serve as the first point of contact between households and the healthcare system.
“The Ministry of Health, through the Division of Community Health in partnership with Amref Health Africa, has launched a two-week nationwide training programme for Community Health Promoters and Community Health Actors across eight counties,” a statement from the Ministry’s official X handle read.
The training is being conducted in Kisii, Machakos, Makueni, Kakamega, Migori, Vihiga, Kisumu, and Tana River counties because of their strategic importance in piloting and scaling up community health interventions that can later be replicated nationally.
The Basic Community Health Module, which forms the backbone of the training, seeks to enhance the knowledge, skills, and competencies of CHPs in disease prevention, health promotion, and early detection of illnesses.
It also equips them with practical tools to offer essential household-level health services, particularly in remote and underserved communities.
“This training focuses on strengthening the delivery of primary healthcare by equipping CHPs with essential knowledge, practical skills, and competencies to promote health, prevent disease, and provide basic services at the household level,” the Ministry said.
According to the Ministry, the renewed focus on community health aligns with the government’s Primary Health Care Networks (PHCN) strategy, which integrates preventive and promotive health services with curative care.
CHPs play a critical role in ensuring every Kenyan has access to health services, regardless of location or income level.
The programme also seeks to standardise the training of CHPs across the country, ensuring uniformity in service delivery and data reporting.
It includes modules on maternal and child health, sanitation, nutrition, reproductive health, and communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage agenda, one of the Big Four policy pillars, seeks to ensure that all citizens can access quality health services without suffering financial hardship.
