Ottichilo: Rising use of health centres ‘vote of confidence’ in services

The Vihiga County government says more residents are using public health facilities, citing a 12.3 per cent rise in the last four years that signals growing public confidence in the sector.

In the county's 2021/22 Annual Development Plan released recently, Governor Wilber Ottichilo's administration links this trend to the hiring of move healthcare workers and intensifying of health promotion activities.

The county also notes that deaths in public health facilities had declined by 0.7 per cent, suggesting improved services.

The revelation comes as Governor Ottichilo has indicated that his administration will hire at least 1,445 community health workers on permanent and pensionable terms before the August 9 polls.

The development plan, which will guide the implementation of the 2021/22 programmes, shows that facility use rates improved from 73 per cent to 85.3 per cent.

The document, released by the county treasury, also indicates that deaths rates reduced from three per cent to 2.3 per cent due to better care.

Availability of supplies improved from 60 per cent to 80 per cent as most medical products could be obtained from the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa).

The positive trends spell a drastic change from the past when locals said public health centres were collapsing and unreliable.

Dr Ottichilo's administration links the improvement to various guiding documents whose implementation helped fast-track enhanced services.

The documents include the health policy framework, Vihiga County Referral Hospital strategic plan (2017-2022), FIF-Act 2019, RMNCH Act 2019, Health Care Services Fund Act 2019 and Referral Strategy.

The healthcare services fund regulations and county nutrition action plan (CNAP 2019) are also considered key turning points in the county's health sector.

"Rehabilitation and expansion of health infrastructure that included renovation of the male, maternity and amenity wards, construction of the first phase of the blood bank, refurbishment of the casualty to create space for an ICU and face-lifting of the County Referral Hospital helped improve service delivery," the Annual Development Plan reads.

It adds: "Other infrastructure improvements included construction of a commodity store, rehabilitation of rural health facilities to enable provision of integrated and comprehensive healthcare. Capacity building of 576 healthcare workers on Covid -19 response and UHC also contributed to better services."

The report also notes that access to quality maternal healthcare improved following increased antenatal visits and skilled deliveries from 56.6 per cent to 69.1 per cent.

Meanwhile, Governor Ottichilo said his administration will offer permanent and pensionable employment to at least 1,445 community health workers.

This, he said, will help improve primary healthcare services at the grassroots.

He said the move will be formalised once the Community Health Workers Bill, 2021 that is before the assembly is enacted into law.

Currently, community health workers offer services in villages on a monthly stipend of Sh2,000 that is paid irregularly, affecting services.

"I have talked to MCAs to expedite (the bill’s) passage so that I can assent to it and give this plan legal backing. In government, you cannot pay salaries without a legal backing," he said.

The county boss noted that community health workers are the first medics in the line of treatment before a patient reaches a doctor.

Community health workers undertake first aid on patients and have also been trained on malaria testing and treatment.

They are also vital during deworming programmes in schools and villages as well as distribution of mosquito nets.

They also attend to expectant mothers, easing the workload of health facilities.

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