Uasin Gishu Community Health Promoters Review Progress

Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in Uasin Gishu County have held an end-of-year review meeting to assess their progress in providing community health services. The meeting, held at Cheboin Dispensary, brought together CHPs from Kapsoya Ward and neighbouring areas to review their work and plan for the future. The session was led by Uasin County Community Health Services Coordinator Joan Letting, who commended the team for their dedication to providing essential health services to the community.

Letting praised the CHPs for their critical role in bridging the gap between communities and health facilities. She noted that their daily household visits, referrals, and follow-ups are crucial in achieving universal health coverage. Letting also emphasized the importance of teamwork, improved performance, and identifying community health champions in every ward to take their work further. She encouraged the CHPs to promote their facilities and build lasting sustainability in their services.

The local CHPs reported significant progress in various areas, including household visits, referrals, and follow-ups. They also made notable gains in Social Health Authority (SHA) registration, immunisation, cancer awareness, Ebola sensitisation, and sanitation and hygiene promotion. Additionally, they provided psychosocial support to vulnerable and elderly residents, while encouraging people to seek care at public facilities.

The meeting also highlighted entrepreneurship support from Moi University through the Mastercard Foundation. Five projects were showcased, including Love in Action Initiative, Mama Fresh Power Porridge Flour for Mothers and Babies, Safi Kenya Waste Management, Talai Herbal Products, and Fresh Hands Initiative. The CHPs expressed gratitude to the Public Health Department for backing immunisation drives, especially measles vaccination, and noted advances in tuberculosis treatment, community awareness, and preventive care.

Uasin Gishu County has deployed about 2,004 CHPs across 204 community health units, with each promoter linked to roughly 100 households. In rural and suburban settings such as Kapsoya, these frontline workers remain vital, offering basic screening, health education, and early referral to the doorstep. This approach cuts the need for long travel to facilities and supports prevention in areas where formal services can be harder to reach.

The work of the CHPs in Uasin Gishu County aligns with national efforts to advance primary healthcare and universal health coverage. Kenya has placed more than 107,000 CHPs across the country to provide essential health services to communities. The CHPs play a critical role in providing healthcare services, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas.

The gathering closed with a clear call to sustain the momentum of strengthening household linkages, growing facility utilisation, and expanding the network of local health champions. The CHPs aim to ensure that community-level care remains resilient in rural Uasin Gishu, and they expressed appreciation for Joan Letting's continued support and commitment to strengthening the community health programme.

Key points

• Uasin Gishu County has deployed 2,004 CHPs across 204 community health units.
• The CHPs have made notable gains in immunisation, cancer awareness, and sanitation and hygiene promotion.
• The work of the CHPs aligns with national efforts to advance primary healthcare and universal health coverage.