Wanga to health promoters: Help us fight teen pregnancies, diseases

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga wants community health promoters to intensify their outreach programmes to reduce the disease burden bedevilling the county.

The county has been grappling with high HIV-AIDs among adolescents and malaria infections which contribute to high infant mortality.

Homa Bay is also listed among the counties with more cases of teen pregnancies and maternal mortalities besides sexual gender-based violence (SGBVs).

At least 2,500 people are working as community health promoters in Homa Bay.

The governor said her administration is putting more focus and investing in health promoters to save residents from high vices and the disease burden.

She said one of the best ways of fighting the high disease prevalence is by empowering community health promoters to talk to residents about their agenda.

“We understand the integral role the community health promoters play in the health department. You can help us fight the vices and disease burden the county is experiencing,” Wanga said.

Wanga said infant and maternal mortalities should be addressed through timely responses and the provision of accurate information.

Speaking during the distribution of kits in Homa Bay town, Wanga asked the health promoters to ensure all mothers go to the hospital when they are pregnant.

She was accompanied by her deputy Oyugi Magwanga and health chief officer Kevin Osuri

The health promoters were given comprehensive medical kits to enable them to attend to patients.

The medical kits contain different medical equipment used in disease diagnosis.

Wanga said struggles by health promoters were presented to President William Ruto for intervention before the national government bought the kits.

“Homa Bay government has enrolled payments of monthly stipends to health promoters. We’re appealing to health promoters to help us address the vices,” she added.

“As we wait for the national government, our health promoters will continue getting their monthly stipend to encourage them to work and protect our communities.” 

Homa Bay County government pays Sh2,500 monthly stipend to its health promoters.

Besides advocating for healthy living, Magwanga asked health promoters to fight cases of defilement and gender-based violence.

Magwanga asked the CHPs to work in line with the agreement they signed.

“We are putting our hopes in you. You are the people who can save this county from some of the health challenges it faces,” Wanga said.

The CHPs have been enrolled for medical cover with the National Health Insurance Fund where the county government pays Sh500 for each of them.

Osuri said they aim to motivate the volunteers to enable them to implement universal health coverage effectively.

Community health promoters are the first line of defence in the prevention of diseases in villages. They also contribute to the control of infectious and communicable diseases in society.

“The county government especially the Department of Health is recognising by remunerating the health promoters,” Osuri said.