Lodwar- September 19, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)
They are not doctors or nurses in busy wards. They are ordinary men and women — Community Mobilizers (CMs) — who have been trained to act fast, detect danger, and respond immediately before outbreaks take root. Working hand in hand with Community Health Promoters (CHPs), Community Disease Reporters (CDRs), and reporting to sub-county and county surveillance teams, these front-line workers form a critical chain of teamwork that helps communities detect and mitigate, and report preventable diseases in time.
To strengthen their capacity, 16 CMs from 19 cross-border facilities in Todonyang, Kibish, Turkana West, Lokichoggio, and Lokiriama sub-counties have completed a three-day training on community-based surveillance (CBS). The sessions, facilitated by the county and sub-county surveillance and health promotion teams focused on early detection, case definition, and prompt reporting of zoonotic and other priority diseases. This training was supported by International Rescue Committee through the Core Group Partners Project (CGPP).
These CMs already collaborate with CHPs, CDRs, and Facility In-Charges in monitoring their communities. Their new knowledge now strengthens efforts to identify diseases such as Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP), Polio, Measles, Neo-Natal Tetanus (NNT), Anthrax, Rabies, Brucellosis, and Rift Valley Fever.
County Disease Surveillance Coordinator Absolom Kuya noted, “This training equips CMs to carry out active case searches at the facility level. When they detect cases, they can now report them immediately to the surveillance team for urgent action.”
For the border regions, where pastoral communities regularly interact across boundaries, the stakes are especially high. The CGPP Project Manager for Turkana, Abdi Jamal emphasized, “The expected outcome is timely detection. If not caught early, these diseases can endanger entire communities, especially along border points.”
Jamal also highlighted that the training will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the team in early detection, especially Polio which is a concern along Lokiriama and Turkana West borders.
But beyond surveillance data, the true weight of this work in influencing social behaviour change is seen in lived experiences .
Jedida Adome, a mobilizer from Lokipoto Dispensary in Turkana West, recalls one unforgettable moment. A mother had delivered one of her twins at home, but complications followed with the second one being a stillborn, turning the situation critical. She teamed up with a CHP, and they rushed the mother to hospital in time to save her life, because, by the time they arrived, her blood pressure was almost undetectable — just one. Today, she is alive and raising her healthy baby. For Jedida, that day was more than a successful rescue, she learned that every second matters and teamwork can mean the difference between life and death.
The training, she says, has also helped her close knowledge gaps. “Even simple lessons, like how to approach and interact with the community before engaging them on healthcare, are now clearer to me. I can help my people better,” she explained.
Robert Kosowan, another CM from Todonyang Dispensary in Kibish Sub-County, has his own testimony. He remembers when five children were bitten by a rabid dog. With the help of a CHP and CDR, Robert mobilized for an ambulance through the nearby Catholic Parish facility and rushed the children to hospital. Weeks later, the children received care, medical attention, and all five survived. Today, those children are healthy and the whole community have become advocates for quick reporting and surveillance.
Lokiriama Sub-County Disease Surveillance Officer Stephen Bwire describes CMs as “community foot soldiers” vital to disease surveillance and prevention. He however highlights persistent challenges that informed the need for a refresher training saying, “The biggest gap is fully understanding case definitions and differential diagnoses, to ensure correct and accurate reporting.”
He added that CMs are encouraged through data sharing and personal and team-based performance reviews, which help them see their value is recognized across all levels.
Turkana is a vast county, the biggest in Kenya, and with that comes challenges that strain already limited resources. Despite their strengthened skills, CMs face hurdles including long distances, limited resources, and communities that need constant sensitisation. With more support from development partners and co-implementation with the county government, these ordinary men and women working together can save even more lives.
The following facilitators were also present Nancy Birechy (Health Promotions), Joel Maiyo (Kibish Sub-County Surveillance Officer), and Andrew Ekal (Turkana West Sub-County Surveillance Officer).
By: Esther Mwangi, Assistant Director- Public Communications and Media Relations
