Kenya has placed community health at the center of the global conversation on primary healthcare reforms, with strong emphasis on the role of professional community health workers in driving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
At a high-level panel during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Kenya reaffirmed that community health is the backbone of its healthcare transformation agenda. The country has invested in the professionalisation of 107,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs), ensuring they are salaried, well-trained, and digitally equipped to serve households across the nation.
This bold move has already delivered tangible results. More than 70 percent of households in Kenya have been registered by CHPs, giving policymakers and health planners real-time data to shape responsive interventions. On the ground, CHPs have completed over 38 million diabetes screenings and 25 million hypertension screenings. Importantly, 1.5 million cases have been referred for further medical care, linking vulnerable populations to lifesaving treatment that would otherwise be inaccessible.
The Kenyan model demonstrates that professional community health workers are not only cost-effective but also vital in reaching underserved communities, where access to hospitals and doctors is limited. By embedding health promotion, disease prevention, and early detection at the community level, CHPs significantly reduce the burden on higher-level facilities. This approach strengthens the resilience of the health system while ensuring inclusivity in service delivery.
Kenya’s message to the global community is clear: scaling up professional community health programs is a smart investment with measurable impact. The success of CHPs shows that primary healthcare systems must be people-centered, community-driven, and anchored in trust. Beyond service delivery, CHPs foster health-seeking behaviors, strengthen social cohesion, and empower households to take charge of their wellbeing.
The country is now urging global partners to adopt and adapt similar strategies, emphasizing that health equity can only be achieved through collaboration and shared commitment. Large-scale social change, Kenya argues, requires collective effort—governments, partners, and communities working together to power healthcare from the grassroots upwards.
As the world works toward the Sustainable Development Goals, Kenya’s model offers valuable lessons in resilience, inclusivity, and innovation. Community health, when prioritized and professionalized, becomes the true engine of universal health coverage.
