Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga has praised community health promoters (CHPs) for their critical role in delivering primary healthcare across Kenya, noting that they remain the backbone of the country’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda.
Speaking at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital in Mombasa during a stakeholder forum, Oluga said CHPs have been instrumental in reaching households in rural and informal settlements, ensuring vulnerable groups such as the elderly and street children are not left behind.
“Community health promoters are the lifeline of our primary healthcare system. They bring essential services directly to households, helping us to bridge healthcare gaps across the country,” Oluga said, pledging greater collaboration and support for their work.
During his visit, the PS also inspected several specialised facilities at the hospital, including the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory, the Paediatric Accident and Emergency Centre, the Newborn Unit, and the Cancer Radiotherapy Centre.
He said these facilities reflect significant progress in expanding specialised and critical care services in the Coast region and beyond.
Oluga further revealed that more than one million Kenyans have so far accessed services through the TaifaCare Call Centre, which receives between 3,000 and 6,500 calls daily.
However, he acknowledged challenges in registration, with many Kenyans still locked out of the Social Health Authority system due to mismatches between national IDs and mobile phone details, as well as lack of identification documents in some households.
He urged chiefs and CHPs to assist in identifying undocumented residents to ensure inclusivity in health service delivery.
“The reforms we are implementing will only succeed if no Kenyan is left behind. Every household, regardless of income or location, must have access to quality healthcare,” he said.
