In a move to bolster community health services, the Ministry of Health’s State Department of Public Health and Professional Standards, in partnership with the Kenya Red Cross, has launched a strategic initiative to enhance the capacity of community health workers. This initiative is crucial for ensuring the delivery of high-quality healthcare services to communities across Kenya.

The collaborative effort kicked off with a three-day microplanning workshop in Naivasha, aimed at evaluating the current status of the community health program in Kenya. Dr. Joseph Lenai, Acting Director of Primary Health Care, officially inaugurated the workshop on March 11, 2024.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Lenai emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating, “Enhancing the capacity of community health workers is paramount for delivering high-quality services. This collaborative effort will play a significant role in scaling up our community health workers’ program.”

The initiative, known as the REACH initiative, is a pan-African endeavor aimed at increasing the number of community health workers to 2 million continent-wide. Led by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the initiative will be implemented in collaboration with Ministries of Health across all 55 AU member states. This initiative marks a significant step towards strengthening community health systems and improving healthcare delivery across Africa.