Vihiga County Strengthens Health Initiatives with Partners and Launches Community Health Working Group

On September 18th, Vihiga County held its Annual Health Partners and Stakeholders Meeting, where key health partners, including Living Goods, gathered to discuss and enhance collaboration toward advancing the county’s health agenda. This significant event has become a crucial platform for mobilizing resources to sustain the momentum of community health systems strengthening. It serves as a forum for partners and county representatives to review progress in the health sector, while also unveiling priorities and initiatives for the coming year.

The meeting began with a review of the 2023/2024 financial year, highlighting both the achievements and challenges in Vihiga’s health sector. Key successes included reaching 98% coverage in malaria net distribution, achieving 96% and 100% coverage in vaccinations and primary healthcare, respectively, and reducing teenage pregnancy rates from 23% to 19%. However, challenges persist. Despite training all Community Health Promoters (CHPs) on the eCHIS system, approximately 200 CHPs still lack digital devices. Additionally, the department’s budget allocation remains significantly below target (35%), receiving only 26% of the county’s total budget.

The Department of Health presented its priorities for 2024/2025, setting a strategic focus on critical areas, such as tackling Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), raising mental health awareness, addressing non-communicable and neglected tropical diseases (NCDs and NTDs), and strengthening emergency response preparedness. The county also emphasized its commitment to organizing more medical camps for community outreach and operationalizing the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) to better support local health facilities.

Several health partners, including PATH, IRDO, Breakthrough Action, Marie Stopes Kenya, NCD Alliance, Nutrition International, Medtronic Labs, and AMREF Health Africa, were actively engaged. These organizations shared updates on their ongoing projects, pledged continued collaboration for the 2024/2025 period, and outlined areas where they could offer further support.

Dr. Benjamin Induswe, the County Director of Health, specifically acknowledged Living Goods for their technical support in coaching, mentorship, and skills transfer to the county health team. Dr. Induswe underscored the importance of further training for Community Health Promoters to enhance the capacity of local health workers.

Hon. Julius Maruja, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health, highlighted the critical need for increased health sector funding to meet the county’s growing health demands. Alongside the Chair of the Budget Committee, the CECM advocated for increased health sector funding in the 2024/2025 fiscal year to ensure sustainability and improved services.

During the session, Speaker Hon. Christopher Omulele emphasized the strong working relationship between the County Assembly and the Executive, expressing the Assembly’s openness to guidance from the Executive to better support the health department. Minority Leader Tom Atingo further stressed the importance of educating the Assembly on the challenges facing the department, noting that informed legislation is essential for meaningful impact and effective governance

In his keynote speech, Governor Otichillo emphasized the pivotal role of the health sector in driving overall county development. He appreciated the level of commitment of the county assembly. He also expressed deep appreciation for the unwavering support of health partners which has enabled Vihiga County to excel in several national health indicators. The Governor reiterated his commitment to strengthening the county’s health system, ensuring access to clean water, and promoting good governance.

Governor Otichillo also outlined several key priorities for the upcoming year, including tackling gender-based violence, raising mental health awareness, and addressing the rise of non-communicable diseases. He further emphasized the need to equip health facilities, following the passage of new health-related legislation, and highlighted the importance of operationalizing SHIF to generate more resources for healthcare. The Governor’s legacy is centered on establishing a well-functioning healthcare system, ensuring access to clean and safe water, and promoting good governance.

Inauguration of the Community Health Technical Working Group (TWG)

Another significant milestone in Vihiga’s health agenda was reached on September 16th, 2024, with the inaugural meeting of the Community Health Sub-Sector Technical Working Group (TWG). Supported by Living Goods, the TWG meeting focused on enhancing and streamlining community health services across the county.

The objectives of the TWG were to:

• Provide guidance on policy matters critical to community health services delivery.
• Introduce governance structures to TWG members and define their roles.
• Share updates on the progress of various Community Health Services (CHS) programs.
• Establish a roadmap for advancing community health services.

The CECM for Health, Mr. Julius Maruja, and the County Director of Health led the discussions, with the support of key partners such as Nutrition International, KEMRI, MCGL, and KMTC. Mr. Masinde, the County Community Health Strategy Focal Person, provided an update on Vihiga’s transition to the electronic community health information system (eCHIS), noting its role in improving service delivery and health data management.

This shift to digital solutions was praised as a major leap forward in enhancing the effectiveness of CHS programs, aligning with the county’s broader mission to build a robust, resilient health system capable of meeting the needs of its people.

Vihiga County’s Annual Health Partners and Stakeholders Meeting, coupled with the inauguration of the Community Health TWG, showcased the county’s commitment to advancing health outcomes. The active involvement of county leadership, health partners, and stakeholders demonstrated a collective effort to build a resilient healthcare system. As Vihiga continues to prioritize health services, collaboration will remain key in addressing emerging challenges and ensuring sustainable progress for the future.