Kenya has placed community health at the center of global discussions on universal healthcare, with officials calling for greater investment in professional community health workers.
Speaking in New York during a high-level panel on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr. Ouma Oluga said Kenya’s universal health coverage (UHC) reforms are anchored on community health.
He was representing Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale at the event, hosted by the Community Health Impact Coalition under the theme “Primary Healthcare: The Case for Professional Community Health Workers.”
Dr. Oluga highlighted Kenya’s decision to professionalize 107,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs), who are now salaried, trained, and digitally equipped.
He said the results of this investment are already visible, with 70% of households registered, 38 million diabetes screenings and 25 million hypertension screenings carried out, and 1.5 million cases referred for further care.
“Community health is the backbone of our UHC reforms,” he said, urging global partners to replicate Kenya’s approach. “Professional community health workers reduce costs, reach underserved populations, and strengthen resilience. Large-scale social change is a team sport. Together, we can power primary healthcare from the community upwards.”
The panel drew policymakers, health advocates, and development partners to share best practices on strengthening primary healthcare systems through community-based approaches.
