Kibwana hands Motorbikes to
boost Community Health Program
Governor Kibwana rides on a motorcycle as he flagged off Community Health Volunteers in his county |
The Community Health Service in Makueni has received a major boost after governor Kivutha Kibwana handed 45 motorbikes to the health volunteers. This brings to 137 the number of motor bikes under the programme and will be used by at least 110 Community Health Units across the county to promote primary health care.
The cycles are meant to help in initiating a sustainable income generating activity as a way of motivating the Community Health Volunteers hence high retention for sustainability.
Governor Kivutha Kibwana termed the community health strategy as one of the main drivers of the Makueni Universal Healthcare programme and urged the health department to establish the remaining 135 units so that each link facility has one.
Health executive committee member Dr. Andrew Mulwa said Makueni was able to prevent eruption of water borne diseases after the floods disaster because of this community health strategy.
Records from the department of health indicate major improvement in primary healthcare since inception of devolution, with the number of mothers delivering in hospitals improving from a paltry 18 percent in 2013 to more than 60 percent in 2018.
Immunization has also grown from 72 percent to more than 86 percent in the last two years, the records indicate.
Prof Kibwana has said his government will benchmark from the best counties on how to better this strategy, and even borrow from Ethiopia's experience.
Ethiopia has one of the most developed community health strategy in the continent.
Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau said CHVs should be trained to handle rape cases so as to help deal with the rampant rape cases affecting the county