Kenya: Amref to train 1,500 Kirinyaga community health volunteers on COVID-19

About 1,500 Community Health Volunteers in Kirinyaga are set to undergo training through a partnership between Amref Health Africa and the County Government. 

At the same time Amref has donated 4,800 bottles of sanitizers for use by the health workers as a way of protecting them from contracting the corona virus.

Speaking while handing over the donation at Kerugoya Hospital, Amref Health Africa in Kenya Project Coordinator, Eric Keringe, said that the partnership was aimed at enhancing the capacity of community health volunteers across the county. He said that the training program which is set to commence in February will be carried out through an online platform.

The County Director of Health, Dr. George Karoki, who received the sanitizers on behalf of the county government, said that building the capacity of the community health volunteers was very important since they are a critical human resource in health care management.

“They play an important role when it comes to improvement of community health and well-being by providing important links to primary health care services as well as delivery of basic health prevention and promotion services,” said the director.

He said that the training by Amref has come timely given that the county and the country at large is facing Covid-19 pandemic whose prevention and control cannot be effective without properly equipped CHVs. He thanked the foundation for the partnership and support.

Kirinyaga County has so far registered 488 cases. Of these, 453 patients have successfully recovered while the rest are recovering under the home-based care program. However, seven people have lost their lives to the disease.

Even though new infections have lately been minimal, Governor Anne Waiguru has continually urged all the residents to continue observing the laid down corona virus prevention measures, such as wearing masks properly whenever in public, washing hands regularly, and observing physical and social distance.

The county’s department of health is implementing an accelerated Covid-19 prevention campaign program targeting control of virus transmission at the community level.

The campaign involves health workers and community health volunteers who traverse the villages educating the public on the need to strictly adhere to all Covid-19 prevention measures and also enforcing the prevention protocols.

So far, learning institutions, public service institutions, bus stations, markets, prisons and police stations among other places where the public congregates have been reached with public education on Covid-19 and fumigation services as well.

Special attention has also been paid to prevention of infections in schools since they reopened. So far there has not been any Covid-19 case reported in schools within the county.

Article first published on kbc.co.ke