Lodwar- June 17, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

The Department for Health and Sanitation in partnership with Community Health Africa Trust (CHAT) through Mama Mzungu Foundation are working on a proposed project purposed to improve family planning health services in the most remote areas in Turkana.

Having been able to implement CHAT’s People Health and Environment (PHE) outreach model in 19 other counties, this planned one-year pilot phase would support sustainable and culturally sensitive delivery of integrated reproductive and environmental health services across the county.

The pilot is scheduled to take place in the remote parts of Kanamkemer Ward, Turkana Central, to ascertain project potential in identifying health priorities and determine key gaps for support. This is to ultimately promote better reproductive community health outcomes.

Chairing the meeting, Director of Policy Planning, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation James Lobokan recognized the uniqueness of the project, “By integrating family planning and environmental strategies, the project will ensure the migratory population has access to reproductive health services leading to healthier families”.

Director Lobokan also shared that moving forward, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both parties will be signed towards improving access to health services.

The CHAT Data Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Violet Otieno mentioned that through the PHE approach, the team has achieved interventions through the Community Back-pack Corps crucial in ensuring delivery of reproductive and maternal health services. This is targeted to the remote and inaccessible populations.

“The team has managed to achieve success through interventions including automobile outreaches in hard-to-access areas and integrated solarized power critical for vaccine storage. This is order to deliver critical health services to migratory and pastoral populations,” she added.

The community-based organisation supports programmes in counties burdened with maternal and child mortalities by utilising Community Back-pack corps in underserved populations.

Director for Family Health Gabriel Lopodo highlighted that the project will provide a framework for understanding and addressing these issues holistically, on the basis of both reproductive and environmental outcomes.

“Access to family planning empowers individuals to make informed choices about reproduction, leading to improved maternal and child health outcomes,” he said.

The piloting phase will mainly focus on conducting door-to-door Social Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC). The pilot phase will also offer Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) services.

Other available services include treating and referring patients to health facilities, family planning, HIV/STI, and antenatal and immunisation services.

Present included the County and Sub-County Health Management teams.

Partners present included Esther Lokisia from Mama Mzungu Foundation, Susan Chelele and Pauline Lokipi from CHAT.