Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has assured Kenya’s Community Health Promoters (CHPs) that the government will improve their terms of service, describing them as the “infantry” of the Social Health Authority (SHA) and central to the nation’s pursuit of universal health coverage.
Addressing more than 3,000 CHPs from Embu County at Irunduni, Tharaka Nithi, on Thursday, Prof Kindiki praised their work in early detection of diseases and their role in driving uptake of SHA registration.
“We are grateful for the work the Community Health Promoters are doing. You are the foot soldiers of our flagship Universal Health Coverage project. You are our infantry on the frontline in our pursuit of better healthcare,” he said.
SHA, launched last year, consolidates health insurance under one umbrella, with the aim of making access affordable and equitable. Registration has already surpassed 26 million, and the government targets 30 million by December. Kindiki was emphatic that such progress could not have been achieved without CHPs.
“SHA registration would not have been a success if it was not for the support of CHPs. You are our SHA heroes. We appreciate what you are doing. We are focused on improving your working conditions,” he added.
In 2023, the government, working with the 47 counties, recruited over 107,000 CHPs. Each was issued with a standard kit containing equipment to check blood pressure, test for diabetes and other ailments, and to record data for referrals. Their stipends are co-shared by the national and county governments.
Kindiki hailed the decision to recruit CHPs as “one of the most consequential healthcare interventions since independence”, arguing that countless lives had been saved through early diagnosis and timely treatment. “They visit homes, advise on diet, make referrals and follow up daily to ensure patients adhere to medication,” he said.
Kenya’s investment in community health draws parallels with Cuba’s celebrated primary healthcare model, long held up as a global benchmark. Cuba placed prevention at the heart of its system, deploying family doctors and nurses to small neighbourhood consultorios and ensuring every household had direct, continuous contact with health workers. The result was high life expectancy and low infant mortality, outcomes that rivalled wealthier nations.
Kenya’s CHPs are intended to play a similar role—offering household-level access to healthcare, bridging the gap between hospitals and communities, and shifting the emphasis from treatment to prevention. In a country where the doctor-to-population ratio remains stretched, CHPs provide a lifeline to millions.
Governor Cecily Mbarire, who attended the meeting, said CHPs “are the cornerstone upon which SHA has been founded and strengthened. These are the true ambassadors of SHA.”
The Deputy President also cited wider development efforts in Embu, including revived road projects, the construction of 12 modern markets and an expanded Sh1.2 billion allocation for last-mile electricity connections.
Yet his strongest words remained for health. “What you are doing is great. You have saved the lives of many Kenyans who have known their health condition early and been treated before it got worse,” Kindiki said.
As SHA continues to expand, the challenge will be whether Kenya can sustain and scale its community-based system to deliver the same consistency and preventive focus that underpins Cuba’s enduring success.
