The government this week released the Kenya Health and Demographic Survey (KHDS) 2022. The report provides updated estimates of several indicators, among them health, to guide national and county level planning, implementation and evaluation.

The latest results show progress in several health indicators, a reflection of the investments made in the past 5- 7 years. Highlights include:

• 98% of expectant women receive Antenatal Care from a skilled provider
• 55% of children under 5 years are fully vaccinated
• 8 out of 10 children under 24 months are fully vaccinated
• 89% of births are through skilled Health Care Workers
• Less than 1/3 of Kenyans have health insurance
• Fertility rate is down to 3.4 children
• Contraceptive Prevalence Rate is up from 58% to 63%

More needs to be done to further improve these results and make universal health coverage a reality for everyone in the country. On top of delivering basic health services at the last mile, CHWs play a critical role in educating communities and linking them to health services. This not only leads to a reduction in mortality but also increases vaccination and family planning uptake.

Therefore, more investments in primary healthcare and sustainable community health approaches will improve access to services and the health of Kenyans.

To access the report, visit: https://www.knbs.or.ke/download/2022-kdhs-key-indicators-report/