About 1,500 community health volunteers in Kirinyaga are set to undergo training organised by Amref Health Africa and the county government.
At the same time, Amref has donated 4,800 bottles of sanitiser for use by health workers in the war on coronavirus.
Amref project coordinator Eric Keringe said the partnership is aimed at enhancing the capacity of community health volunteers (CHVs). He spoke while handing out the donation at Kerugoya Hospital. The training programme, which is to commence in February, will be carried out online.
County director of health George Karoki received the sanitiser on behalf of the county government. He said building the capacity of CHVs is important as they are a critical human resource in healthcare management.
"They play an important role when it comes to the improvement of community health and well-being by providing important links to primary healthcare services as well as delivery of basic health prevention and promotion services,” he said.
The training will be timely given that the county, and by extension the country, is facing Covid-19 pandemic whose prevention and control cannot be effective without properly equipped CHVs. Karoki thanked the foundation for the partnership and support.
Kirinyaga has so far registered 488 Covid-19 cases. Of these, 453 patients have recovered, while the rest are recovering under the home-based care programme. However, seven people have died of the disease.
Even though new cases have lately been minimal, Governor Anne Waiguru has continually urged residents to observe the laid-down prevention measures such as masking, washing hands regularly, and observing physical and social distance.
The county department of health is implementing an accelerated Covid-19 prevention campaign targeting control community transmission. The programme involves health workers and CHVs who traverse villages educating the public on the need to strictly adhere to all safety protocols.
So far, learning institutions, public service institutions, bus stations, markets, prisons and police stations, among other places where people gather, have been fumigated and public education carried out.
Special attention has also been paid to the prevention of infection in schools since they reopened. There has been no Covid-19 case reported in schools within the county since they resumed lessons on January 4.
