Bungoma Governor Mr. Kenneth Lusaka has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to ensure residents get quality and affordable healthcare. Speaking at Mechimeru Health Centre in East Sang’alo Ward, Kanduyi Constituency during the primary health care launch, Lusaka pointed out that the county government is dedicated towards global, national and regional efforts to accelerate Universal Health coverage. ‘This is a global agenda towards promoting health services to be more accessible, affordable and acceptable to the communities in Bungoma County,’ he said. Lusaka stated that primary health care is a holistic societal approach to health that aims at ensuring the highest possible level of health and wellbeing and equitable distribution by focusing on people’s needs. He added that his government through the implementation of primary health care will align with national priorities to strengthen access to health services, ensure quality of health services, protect people of Bungoma from financial risks of ill health and strengthen the responsiveness of the health system. Lusaka noted that his government has allocated Sh200 million this financial year for implementation of primary health care activities. ‘This is the first budget line to have ever been considered as allocation specifically for Primary Health Care since the beginning of devolution,’ he said. The governor in collaboration with development partners managed to launch primary health care caravan which will be instrumental in promoting proactive outreach services to the communities within the County to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases, cancer, and mental health illnesses and increase immunization coverage. Bungoma county government is also establishing health centres in all the county’s 45 wards with 19 health centres already in existence and plans underway to upgrade 26 dispensaries to health centres in the wards. ‘Community health promoters (CHP) will also be given health promoter kits (HPK) to enhance community level service provision,’ said Lusaka, adding ‘CHPs will be trained this July on digital data collection and given smart phones to enhance the capture of information from households.’ The Governor also announced that the community health promoters (CHPs) formerly Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) will have an increase in their stipend rising to Sh2, 500 with the National Government giving them the same amount. Deputy Governor Janepher Mbatiany, CEC Health and Sanitation Ms; Andrew Wamalwa, David Wamamili (Education and VTCs), County Assembly Health Committee Chairman George Makari were present.
Source: Kenya News Agency