By Richard Kabaraji
The County Government of Trans Nzoia has launched its Community Health Promoters (CHP).
Governor George Natembeya presided over the launch of the health promoters on Wednesday in a ceremony held at Mount Elgon Hospital.
Speaking at the event, the county boss cautioned the health promoters against selling or hiring their kits to private hospitals.
He also noted that his administration has invested heavily in the health sector, with 52 per cent of the county budget allocated to infrastructure development and other health-related issues.
Further, Natembeya noted that 80 per cent of the CHP were women something that needs to be taken into consideration as they are usually the first stop during a health emergency especially during childbirth.
“I see that a lot of the workers are women and I recommend it as women are at ease in dealing with health issues. We will ensure their work will be done seamlessly,” the governor said.
He also hinted at plans by the county to increase the stipend that the Community Health Promoters will be getting.
According to Natembeya, they are already working on modalities to improve the pay.
“It is a standard Ksh5,000 pay across the country but after the exit of the national government, we will work on a way to increase the pay.”
Natembeya made the comment after a section of leaders in the county called for an increase in the pay to the national minimum wage.
Led by Matisi MCA Obed Mwale, the MCAs have vowed to table a bill to see to it that the promoters get better minimum pay so that they are at par with other workers.
Early pregnancies
Meanwhile, Governor Natembeya has lamented over the increase in cases of early pregnancy in the county with slum zones leading.
He urged the CHP to work with the local administration to deal with the vice.
“In Matisi, all 14-year-old girls have been impregnated leading to an increase in the cases. Let’s work on ways of reporting the cases so as to reduce the numbers,” the county boss said.
He further urged all stakeholders including chiefs to stop kangaroo courts and stigmatization of victims in a bid to end the vice
“Stop this trend and we will end the upward trend being witnessed in our society and CHP help us to teach our citizens how to deal with evidence.”
In addition, the governor challenged ward representatives to support the deployment of the Community Health Promoters.
“We only need 500 thousand to equip all CHP so MCAs should come through within the ward specifically to enable the workers to do their job,” Natembeya said.
