Living Goods is leading a transformative effort to strengthen community health systems by empowering governments to take ownership of their healthcare strategies. Through its innovative DESC approach—digitize, equip, supervise, and compensate—Living Goods aims to support governments in institutionalizing best practices in community health, ultimately reaching 12 million people by 2026.

In Kenya, Vihiga County is benefiting from this government-led approach. As one of the first adopters of the government-owned electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS) platform, Vihiga is capitalizing on Living Goods’ extensive training and performance frameworks, supported by the Swiss Re Foundation. This initiative is set to impact 1,450 community health workers (CHWs), reaching 725,000 people by 2026 and providing last-mile access to digitized, government-led community healthcare.

Governments are responsible for providing high-quality health services that are accessible and affordable to everyone in need. To achieve this, they may collaborate with the private sector and civil society, leveraging their strengths to drive innovation and improve efficiency. The involvement of the private sector and civil society is essential for enhancing these efforts.

Partnerships, such as those with Living Goods, play a crucial role in strengthening health systems and encouraging government commitments. We believe that implementing electronic Community Health Information Systems (eCHIS) can significantly improve data accuracy, enable timely reporting, and enhance operational efficiency. These digital tools have the potential to improve healthcare service delivery, reduce costs, and ultimately lead to better health outcomes for Kenyan citizens by decreasing illness and mortality rates.

-Swiss Re Foundation

A CHW’s Journey: Luke Charles’ Story 

Luke Charles, a 60-year-old CHW from Emuhaya, has been providing voluntary services to his community for over 12 years. Inspired to join the initiative after caring for his parents, Luke initially received training from NGOs on topics such as malaria prevention and community health education. For years, he worked manually, filling out forms and conducting community outreach with limited resources.

However, everything changed dramatically for Luke and 1,246 other CHWs in Vihiga when the national government provided them with smartphones equipped with eCHIS, transforming their ability to work efficiently and effectively.

“We attend monthly training sessions guided by our community health assistants (CHAs) and Living Goods supervisors to ensure we can confidently use the digital tools,” Luke says.

With these smartphones, Luke’s work has become significantly easier. Now, during household visits, he can enter data directly into an app that synchronizes with the national database and reflected on the national dashboard called “Afya Nyumbani.” This not only saves time but also enables supervisors to access real-time data to monitor and guide CHWs in their work.

A Milestone for Vihiga: 100% Household Registration 

By October 2024, Vihiga County achieved a major milestone: 100% of households were registered and reflecting on the national eCHIS dashboard. This accomplishment places Vihiga among the top ten counties in Kenya to fully adopt eCHIS, a feat attributed to Living Goods’ comprehensive training and support supervision.

“Our training combines technical modules with real-life simulations, ensuring seamless eCHIS workflow navigation and data-driven, client-centred service delivery to drive performance excellence,” says Lesley Githinji, eCHIS Program Manager at Living Goods.

CHWs are equipped not only with digital tools but also with the skills to interpret and act on the data they collect. This enables data-driven decision-making in areas such as maternal and child health, family planning, and disease management. With these insights, CHWs can prioritize services tailored to meet community needs.

With 100% of households registered, Mr. Enonda, a community health assistant in Vihiga County, is effectively utilizing data linked to the national dashboard. He monitors progress on health indicators that challenge the county, including positive malaria diagnosis rates in young children, new pregnancy registrations, and maternal care.

Building a National Impact 

The success of Vihiga reflects Living Goods’ broader vision. By 2025, Living Goods plans to support the government to enhance the eCHIS platform further, incorporating supervisor tools and dashboards to ensure the sustainability of digitally enabled community health services across Kenya’s 47 counties.

As Luke Charles and his fellow CHWs continue their vital work, they are not only improving the health of their communities but also paving the way for a future where community health is fully digitized and data-responsive. The journey is far from over, but with continued support from Living Goods and strong partnerships with local governments and organizations like the Swiss Re Foundation, a robust government-led community health system is steadily taking shape.

To meet the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals—such as dramatically reducing maternal mortality, preventing child deaths, and broadening access to universal health coverage—it is essential to advance digital solutions and strengthen community health initiatives in partnership with public entities.

Collaborations with partners like Living Goods represent important steps toward addressing these major challenges. The Swiss Re Foundation looks forward to further scaling up eCHIS and extends sincere thanks to all involved partners for their pivotal contributions.