Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) drawn from Kanduyi, Sirisia and Webuye West Constituencies have been trained on the importance of having a strong primary health care system in the communities. The training was facilitated by the Stage Media Arts (SMA) and Evidence for Action Mamaye (E4A)
In an interview with The Weekly Vision on Monday in a hotel in Bungoma, Hafsa Kipsang’, a youth advocate said that the organization decided to train the community health volunteers so that they can help in strengthening primary health care at the grassroots.
“We decided to engage the CHV’s in the community so that the primary health care can be strengthened to the grassroots,” she said, adding that the CHV’s plays a major role in sensitizing the community on the importance of accessing health facilities when sick.
She noted that having trained CHVs on the ground will be of great help as they help in advising pregnant women on the importance of ANC visits. However, she noted that Stage Media Arts is working with other organizations within Bungoma County to ensure that expectant women are getting improved healthcare services in Bungoma facilities.
“This issue of losing mothers due to maternal-related complications should stop, currently we are engaging different health stakeholders to get the lasting solution,” Kipsang’ noted.
In addition, Kipsang’ called on Bungoma County to provide enough for the department of health and sanitation arguing that in the past enough money was not allocated. She urged residents to visit health facilities and get texted and stop buying tablets on the counter without undergoing doctors’ scrutiny.
“We have experienced patients in villages buying medicines from recommended dealers on the counters, I want to ask the CHVs to sensitize the community on the importance of getting services from health facilities,” she said. Judith Apondi, a CHV from the Kanduyi constituency told the Star that as CHV they go through a lot of challenges calling on the government to increase their stipends.
“We do a lot back in our communities but we are paid poorly, it is a humble time to ask the government to increase the stipends so that it can motivate us,” she said.
