Senators from Nairobi vow to address health promoters’ plight amid dire working conditions
By Mustafa Juma, December 16, 2024The seven senators from Nairobi county have committed to address the plight Community Health Promoters (CHPs) after learning about their poor working conditions.
Nairobi Community Health Promoters painted a grim picture of their working conditions after meeting the lawmakers led by elected senator Edwin Sifuna, who was accompanied by Karen Nyamu (nominated) and Tabitha Mutinda (nominated).
Their confessions contradicted the optimistic narratives often presented by authorities.
During the meeting with Sifuna and his colleagues, the health promoters from five constituencies of Nairobi shared their challenges, highlighting severe resource constraints and delayed payments.
The health promoters, often referred to as the frontline warriors in community health matters, revealed that they lack basic personal protective equipment (PPEs), work with expired first aid kits, and use outdated gadgets.
Delayed stipends
Additionally, they are grappling with delayed stipends, with some arrears owed by both the National and County governments stretching over months.
Sifuna in a statement shared via his official X account on Monday, December 6, 2024, revealed that the seven senators had committed to bring all the raised matters before the house and hold those responsible to account.
“Together with colleagues @karennyamunbo and Tabitha Mutinda meeting Nairobi Community Health Promoters from 5 constituencies to get the actual situation on the ground,” Sifuna stated.
“These frontline warriors in matters health paint an extremely grave picture of the situation different from the rosy stories from those in power; Lack of PPE’s, expired first aid kits, outdated gadgets, delayed stipends including arrears owed by the National and County governments. As their representatives, the 7 Senators from Nairobi have committed to bring all these matters before the house and hold those responsible to account.”
Together with colleagues @karennyamunbo and Tabitha Mutinda meeting Nairobi Community Health Promoters from 5 constituencies to get the actual situation on the ground.
— Edwin Sifuna (@edwinsifuna) December 16, 2024
These frontline warriors in matters health paint an extremely grave picture of the situation different from the… pic.twitter.com/DgWawz2AWg
Community Health Promoters
The national government in September 2023 deployed about 100,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) across the 47 counties in a bid to achieve Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC).
Speaking at Uhuru park in Nairobi on September 25, 2023, where the event was held, the president said that the 100,000 CHPs would transform healthcare at the grassroots and Kenyans will be offered basic screening services at the household level.
“Kenyans will now be attended to in their homes by fully trained local community Health Promoters who will be supervised by qualified health workers,” President Ruto said, further pledging to support Counties in promoting preventive and promotive health services.
“I also want to assure our County Governments that they have our cooperation in delivering services to the people of Kenya. My responsibility is to ensure that the Counties succeed and Kenya succeeds,” he stated.