Vihiga County, May 7, 2025 — In a powerful show of commitment to advancing primary healthcare, Governor Wilber Ottichilo welcomed the Board of Directors of Living Goods to Vihiga County.

Led by Board Chair Chuck Slaughter, CEO Emilie Chambert, and Kenya Country Director Thomas Onyango, the high-level visit reinforced a thriving public-private partnership that is transforming community health through technology and collaboration.

Living Goods has played a pivotal role in supporting Vihiga’s progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC), particularly through digitizing community health services. During the visit, the Board observed how digitally empowered Community Health Promoters (CHPs) deliver lifesaving care door-to-door—diagnosing and managing illnesses, referring complex cases, and collecting real-time health data.

Supervised by trained Community Health Assistants, their work has driven measurable gains in access, early diagnosis, and maternal and child health—a impact affirmed by community testimonials.

In his remarks, Governor Ottichilo praised Living Goods’ contributions and reaffirmed the County’s dedication to collaborative health service delivery. He highlighted key priorities: capacity building, device management, strengthening supply chains, improving SHA registration, and full implementation of the Facility Improvement Financing (FIF) Act. He also emphasized data-driven decision-making and geographic information system (GIS) tools for health planning.

Mr. Slaughter applauded the Governor’s leadership, noting that community health is the bedrock of primary care. He urged the County to further elevate CHP performance: “What we’ve seen here is inspiring. When governments invest in smart technologies and committed partnerships, the results speak for themselves.”

From household visits to county-level planning, the digital transformation is taking root. CHPs are now trained on the electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS), equipped with smartphones, and receiving timely stipends—all of which contribute to better maternal and child health, improved immunization rates, and more effective disease screening.

Emilie Chambert, Living Goods CEO, highlighted the urgency of sustaining these gains: “We are seeing significant opportunities in leveraging data for disease surveillance and timely decision-making. In light of the ongoing USG funding freeze, it is important that we optimize available resources to preserve and build upon the progress achieved,” she said.

The visit concluded with a tour of local health facilities and Vihiga’s cutting-edge Geographic Information System (GIS) Laboratory, where Board members observed how real-time community data is mapped and analyzed to enhance health system management by integrating real-time data submitted by CHPs through the electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS).

The connection between field-level data and GIS mapping has empowered county health managers with timely insights into disease patterns, coverage gaps, and performance indicators, enabling data-driven planning and response.

This partnership is a shining example of how digital tools and strong leadership can unlock the full potential of community health systems—and bring us closer to achieving Universal Health Coverage for all.