Gov't to distribute 864 more bicycles to Community Health Promoters

Public Health PS Mary Muthoni announced plans to distribute an additional 864 bicycles to Community Health Promoters as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery across Kenya.

The initiative builds on a partnership that has already provided more than 7,700 bicycles nationwide, improving access to health services in rural and hard-to-reach communities and enhancing household outreach.

Taking to her X account on Monday, she says the move follows ongoing collaboration between the Ministry of Health, World Bicycle Relief, county governments, and development partners, which has already seen thousands of bicycles distributed across the country to support frontline health workers.

According to the Public Health Principal Secretary, the programme has played a significant role in improving access to healthcare services by enhancing the mobility of Community Health Promoters, particularly in areas where transport challenges often hinder service delivery.

In a statement following a meeting with a delegation from World Bicycle Relief, led by Regional Director for East Africa Maureen Kolenyo, PS Muthoni said the partners had reviewed progress and explored ways of accelerating the initiative.

“The partnership between the Ministry of Health, World Bicycle Relief, County Governments, and development partners has so far facilitated the distribution of over 7,700 bicycles to Community Health Promoters across the country, significantly improving access to healthcare services in rural and hard-to-reach communities,” she stated.

The Principal Secretary noted that the discussions focused on expanding mobility support for Community Health Promoters, who play a critical role in linking households with healthcare services and strengthening community health systems.

The Ministry of Health says improved mobility enables Community Health Promoters to cover larger areas, conduct more household visits, and facilitate referrals more efficiently, contributing to better healthcare outcomes.

Muthoni also revealed that the next phase of the programme will involve the distribution of hundreds of additional bicycles to support health workers operating at the community level.

“We also discussed plans for the distribution of an additional 864 bicycles to further enhance household reach, strengthen referrals, improve service delivery efficiency, and support our efforts to advance Primary Health Care and achieve Universal Health Coverage.”

The government has identified community health services as a key pillar in efforts to strengthen preventive healthcare and ensure essential health services reach populations in remote and underserved regions.

Highlighting the importance of partnerships in delivering healthcare interventions, the Principal Secretary noted that the collaboration continued to produce tangible results for communities across the country.

“This collaboration continues to demonstrate the power of partnerships in strengthening community health systems, empowering Community Health Promoters, and ensuring that quality healthcare services reach every household across the country,” she said.

The planned expansion is expected to further improve access to healthcare services while supporting Kenya's broader goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage through strengthened community-based healthcare delivery.