Kenya’s second National Health Sector Strategic Plan (NHSSP II: 2005-2010) defined a new approach to the way the sector would deliver health care services to Kenyans, using the Kenya Essential Package for Health (KEPH) and community involvement approaches. To operationalize community involvement in the community health strategy, the document, “Taking the Kenya Essential Package
for Health to the Community: A Strategy for the Delivery of Level One Services,” was developed in 2006.
This strategy document has now been revised to the current strategy: “Strategy for community health.” The revisions are the result of thorough consultations and feedback from stakeholders in the sector who gained useful experience in the implementation of the previous strategy. The document has been developed in line with the new Constitution of Kenya 2010, Kenya Vision 2030, Kenya Health Policy Framework 2014- 2030, National Health Strategic and Investment Plan 2014-2018, and other health policy guidelines. Like the previous one, this strategy envisages building the capacity of households to not only demand services from all providers, but also to know and progressively realize their rights to equitable, good quality health care as provided for in the constitution. The strategy introduces an innovative, developmental approach, where the determinants of health are addressed through people’s participation at the community level, for health system issues as well as for a broader range of health actions in various sectors. The strategy has four key objectives:
- Strengthen the delivery of integrated, comprehensive, and quality community health services for all population cohorts.
- Strengthen community structures and systems for effective implementation of community health actions and services at all levels.
- Strengthen data demand and information use at all levels.
- Strengthen mechanisms for resource mobilization and management for sustainable implementation of community health services.
Implementing community health services is a top priority of the Ministry of Health and its partners in
the sector. I am fully confident that the implementation of this strategy will help us provide equitable access to health services, and move us closer to our goal of achieving universal access and reversing downward trends in health outcome indicators.
I am aware that we will have to collectively, as stakeholders, face many technical, managerial, and other challenges and resolve them along the way. During the implementation process, we will learn many lessons, and these will enrich this strategy further. I call on County governments, their communities, and all implementing partners to exert their maximum effort to transform the aspirations of this strategy into a reality. It is incumbent on all of us to raise awareness and ensure that the objectives of this CHS are understood and fully owned by the various stakeholders and implementing partners. I also call on our development partners to prioritize this strategy in their support to the health sector.
Dr. Khadijah Kasschoon
Principal Secretary
Ministry of Health