The County Department of Health and Sanitation has trained its Sub-county Health Management Teams on Primary Care Networks (PCNs), aimed at strengthening the primary healthcare services (PHC) at the community level.

The PCNs, developed by the National Ministry of Health, are meant to foster a more resilient healthcare system through the prioritization of PHCs to achieve universal healthcare across the country.

While opening the training, the County Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Health, Peter Lomorukai urged the participants to be keen as PCN strategy was a presidential directive that had to be achieved.

“The county government will implement primary care networks gradually starting with one sub-county then progressively scaling up to other sub-counties,” he said.

He further added that PCN would strengthen the referral system and healthcare service delivery.

He revealed that the first PCN Committee was already constituted and awaits to be gazetted

The Deputy Director for Family Health and one of the training facilitators, Gabriel Lopodo, said that the PCN structure emphasizes governance and coordination for PHC.

The facilitators were Sister Doris (Diocese of Lodwar), Jonathan Longiti (County Community Health Services Coordinator) Anthony Arasio (Amref in Africa in Kenya), Zaddock Tako (Kisumu), Fred Oroko (National MoH’s Division of Family Health and Primary Health Care) and Dr Isaac Kipyego (Elgeyo Marakwet).

Some of the partner representatives were; IRC, the Diocese of Lodwar, and World Vision Kenya.

The president will officially launch the PCN Strategy on Mashujaa Day, October 2023.

The training, supported by USAID Kenya and Amref Health Africa in Kenya, brought together participants from all the sub-counties in Turkana.