Murang'a county will enlist retired nurses to care for the sick at their homes to reduce congestion in hospitals.
Governor Mwangi Wa Iria launched the voluntary Community Nursing Services programme on Tuesday, saying the
nurses will receive a monthly facilitation fee of Sh8,000.
They will complement the roles of community health workers (CHEWS).
"Many people, especially those suffering from chronic diseases, suffer silently in their homes with little or no knowledge of how to handle their sicknesses,' he said.
Wa Iria noted the programme will help the poor who are unable to care for their sick and those neglected by their families.
"The rich hire private nurses to take care of their sick when they are discharged from hospitals. The poor suffer because of financial constraints."
The governor noted that most people with chronic illnesses, especially bedridden patients, suffer to the extent of developing bed sores because of lack of proper care.
He said his aim is to establish a strong community health service that will see people treated at the comfort of their homes.
"This programme will drastically reduce the number of people trickling into our hospitals everyday and reduce the costs of medical services," Wa Iria said.
He said the retired nurses have a wealth of experience which should not go to waste as people suffer at their homes.
The county, he said, aims to register about 300 nurses from every sub-county for the programme. it
is already working with more than 1,000 community health workers who receive a monthly stipend of up to Sh4,000.
"The community health workers have created good networks among locals but have little or no professional skills,"
he told journalists in Murang'a town on Wednesday.
"They and the nurses will make a formidable team."
Wa Iria said the nurses will be accorded free NHIF cover to protect their families as they care for the sick in the community.
The two groups of workers will also be used to enroll
as many locals as possible into NHIF.
The governor said his administration will start by registering 40,000 homes where people suffering from chronic diseases will be given priority.
"This will cover at least 20 per cent of our population as we work towards ensuring every home is covered in the next five years."