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Deputy President Prof. Kithure Kindiki has described the recruitment of over 107,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) as a transformative milestone that is reshaping the country’s healthcare landscape and bringing medical services closer to the people.
Speaking during a gathering with more than 3,000 CHPs and health stakeholders from Embu County, Prof. Kindiki underscored the critical role the health promoters are playing in the government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program, branded Taifa Care. He emphasized that the initiative, launched in early 2023, has already proven to be one of the most far-reaching interventions in Kenya’s healthcare history.
“These men and women are the infantry of our healthcare system,” Kindiki noted. “By going door-to-door, testing for conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, offering nutritional guidance, and ensuring patients adhere to treatment, CHPs are bridging the gap between hospitals and households.”
The Deputy President commended county governments for their support in co-funding the program, particularly through covering half of the CHPs’ monthly stipends. He said this partnership between the national and devolved governments demonstrates how shared responsibility can advance public welfare.
Prof. Kindiki attributed the surge in citizen enrollment into Taifa Care directly to the dedication of CHPs, noting that their grassroots approach has inspired confidence in the system. “It is because of their selfless service that Kenyans, even in remote villages, now view healthcare not as a privilege but as a right,” he said.
Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire, who joined the Deputy President at the meeting, lauded the health promoters for their resilience and urged them to remain committed to saving lives.s the government continues to scale up UHC, Prof. Kindiki assured CHPs of sustained support, noting that their role will remain central to the realization of a healthier and more productive nation.
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