The ongoing Lake Region Digital Health Conference has emphasized the transformative potential of technology in revolutionizing healthcare delivery across the region. A key takeaway from the discussions was the urgent need to integrate digitally skilled staff into county health departments, a move seen as essential for accelerating the digital health agenda.
One of the conference’s main focuses was the localization of digital health innovations and the manufacturing of related solutions. This approach would not only generate jobs for the youth but also ensure that health technologies are tailored to the specific needs of the region, promoting more effective and relevant healthcare solutions.
Participants also stressed the importance of county health departments taking a more proactive role in maintaining and repairing digital health tools provided by the National Government. Ensuring these tools are operational would help maintain the momentum of the digital health agenda, leading to uninterrupted service delivery.
“Counties must allocate sufficient budgets to sustain digital health initiatives,” stated Ms. Joan Oracha, Chief of Party at Living Goods. Her organization has supported the County Health Department for the past five years, but with their involvement coming to an end, ensuring a continuity plan is crucial to maintain progress.
Another pressing issue discussed at the conference was the remuneration of Community Health Promoters (CHPs), who are instrumental in advancing digital health at the grassroots level. A panel led by Prof. Khama Rogo, an advisor with PharmAccess Global, stressed the need for fair compensation to motivate CHPs. Absenteeism among CHPs was flagged as a major concern affecting healthcare delivery, with Living Goods recommending the integration of a performance management tool into the digital platforms used by CHPs to monitor and improve attendance.
Training CHPs on the effective use of digital tools was another critical aspect of the discussions. The conference proposed that training modules be incorporated into the digital gadgets provided to CHPs to enhance their effectiveness.
“We must prioritize the dignity of community health services, which includes fair remuneration,” noted one of the participants. While counties currently pay CHPs a standard stipend of Ksh 2,500, the conference recommended a more dignified wage of Ksh 13,000 to better reflect the value of their work.
The two-day conference, hosted at Ciala Resort in Kisumu, was officially opened by Kisumu Governor Prof. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, who praised Living Goods for its contributions to digitizing community health in the county. He highlighted that Kisumu is now able to conduct household visits more efficiently, identifying individuals in need of referrals through digital means.
The event was attended by notable dignitaries including Joris Van Bommel, Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Yvette van Eechoud, Vice Minister for International Economic Affairs of the Netherlands, and Prof. Khama Rogo, Head of the Presidential Taskforce on Addressing Human Resources for Health, alongside several other key partners.