Another co- financing agreement in Kenya cemented

The County Government of Vihiga and Living Goods have inked a five-year agreement to commence implementation support to improve primary healthcare services for its 630,000 residents. Through this partnership 1,460 community health workers (CHWs) & 148 community health assistants (CHAs) will be digitally empowered to enhance delivery of effective and efficient integrated services to communities as we institutionalize long term sustainability towards strengthening their community health system through adoption of DESC. This is a progression of our Implementation Support with co-financing & co implementation though a government led approach.

The county will lead the development and operationalization of policies and systems for the project, while Living Goods will provide technical support and bear 20% of the total project cost. The initiative aims to promote maternal and child health by employing the DESC – Digitally Empowered, Equipped, Supervised and Compensated – approach. It will ensure that CHWs are well supported to offer timely diagnoses, treatments, referrals, and follow-ups for the most common illnesses in the county.

The Governor Vihiga County, Dr. Wilber Otichillo, has been instrumental in seeing this through, noting that improving the working condition of CHWs and the community health system is close to his five-year agenda.

“Today is a special day for the people of Vihiga as we welcome Living Goods to join hands with us in strengthening our community health system, where we face the biggest disease burden and where our impact will be most felt. I believe in the sustainability approach, and this co funding and co implementation approach is a sure way of managing our CHS,” remarked the Governor.

Vihiga County has made efforts towards shaping the enabling environment for their CHWs. They are a malaria endemic region with good support from the leadership to steer this forward. This partnership also aligns with the national government’s plans to recruit more CHWs, build their capacity and compensate them. This is Living Goods third co- financed partnership with Kenya’s subnational governments after Isiolo and Kisumu counties.