The County Department of Health and Sanitation has received a donation of weighing scales and height and length boards from fUSAID Nawiri to strengthen primary healthcare services at the community level.

The 215 solar-charged weighing scales and 200 boards are an additional donation to an earlier delivery. It included 2000 child, 2000 adult, and 3000 family middle upper arm circumference (MUAC) tapes, 800 backpacks, 800 jackets with reflectors, 1000 solar torches, 1000 community health promoters (CHPs) Badges, 1000 timers, 700 Thermometers and MIYCN Counseling Cards.

“Strengthening of CHS [community health services] will ensure a stable base for the implementation of primary healthcare and this is in line with the president’s and governor’s health agendas,” said Peter Lomorukai, County Chief Officer for Preventative and Promotive.

He further added that the achievement of the universal healthcare (UHC) agenda was dependent on the recently launched primary care networks; the linking of facilities to facilitate referrals starting at the community to the specialized hubs/hospitals.

According to Hellen Okochil – the Field Health and Nutrition Advisor Usaid Nawiri, the weighing scales and height and length boards would complement the MUAC tape in growth and monitoring promotion (GMP).

She stated that studies had shown that using the tape only means that 46% of malnourished children are not identified.

Turkana County Field and Director for USAID Nawiri, Gabriel Ekuwam, said that the organization was committed to working with the county government in alleviating acute malnutrition sustainably.