Overview

The County Ministry of Health and Sanitation Services is mandated to provide preventive and promotive healthcare, curative and rehabilitative services. This is anchored on the Kenya constitution 2010, Vision 2030, Kenya Health Sector Strategic Plan 2012-2030, United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3, to ensure provision of quality health care services hence a healthy and productive County.

 Vision

A healthy and productive County

Mission

To offer high quality and sustainable health services to Turkana County residents and promoting an alcohol and drug free environment

Department Objectives

• Eliminate communicable conditions
• Halt, and reverse the rising burden of non-communicable conditions
• Reduce the burden of violence and injuries
• Minimize exposure to health risk factors
• Provide essential health services
• Strengthen collaboration with health related sectors

Health Achievements in Number

Directorates

1. Medical Services

Health Products and Technologies Unit, Clinical Services and Nursing Services

• Increased functional public health facilities from 197 to 257
• Support towards Covid-19 in terms of trainings, ongoing sensitization and awareness and establishment of PCR testing at Lodwar County Referral Hospital
• Procurement of Gene Xpert machines for use in Lokitaung, Katilu, Lopiding and Lokori Sub County Hospitals for HIV, TB and COVID-19 testing among others
• Increased laboratory coverage 45 to 57 with 25 more health facilities earmarked for additional laboratories
• Development of County Emergency Medical Care Plan to support in advocacy and resource mobilization towards emergency services
• Procurement of blood and blood products component and preparation equipment
• The Turkana County satellite team has managed to obtain a total of over 28,800 Units of whole blood, update which was distributed to all the Sub County Hospitals
• HSSF and other National Ministry of Health grants have continuously been disbursed to health facilities to help in their operations in a timely efficient manner
• Integrated outreaches targeting hard to reach areas and selected sites supported by the county ministry and health partners
• The County Universal Health Coverage Program has managed to register 25,000 out of a target of 28,000 indigent populations towards the first phase of Universal Health Coverage
• Health Financing Strategy development ongoing at concept stage after bench marking trips by the lead department of Health services and Sanitation to Makueni, Kajiado and Laikipia
• Stakeholder mapping and definition of the UHC benefit package has already started for inclusion into the County’s Health Financing Strategy and the final UHC road map
• Ongoing accreditation of health facilities to the NHIF scheme with a total of 174 public/Government owned health facilities already accredited by NHIF
• Kalobeyei, Kakuma operation has been established as integrated settlement where services and Infrastructures are established in a way that it enhances inclusions and mainstreaming into County and National system, and area wide planning. Turkana County has already enrolled over 3400 national households in to NHIF
• Improved diagnostic services in sub county hospitals and high volume health facilities by provision of mobile x-rays, reagents and 3 ultra sounds. Radiological machine and ultrasound availed to Lokitaung sub county hospital awaiting staffs for operationalization.

2. Preventive and Promotive

Environment Health and Sanitation (Public Health), Preventive Health Programs (Malaria), Family Health (Nutrition)

• Certified and celebrated 229 villages in Turkana west as open defeacation free
• Containment of COVID 19 outbreak with the current Positivity rate of 1.7 % which is within WHO recommendation of below 5%
• 102,000 nets were distributed to the entire population of Loima sub county
• The county has managed to successfully implement mass drug administration for trachoma in Turkana North, Kibish, Loima, Turkana west and kalobeyei integrated settlements
• SMART survey was carried out in the month of July which provided guidance on nutrition countywide and area specific interventions
• The county through THS funding has procured cold chain truck that will support vaccines logistics throughout the county.
• The county successfully implemented the measles/rubella mass vaccination campaign in the month of July, 2021
• Diarrhea cases were over 17 in every 100 patients but now 5 cases in every 100 patients
• Community health units were 12 but now they are 208 with a CHS act that promotes payment of CHV stipend
• Instalment of a modern incinerator at LCRH
• County has six food labs with staffs trained on food testing which was not there in 2013.

3. Planning, monitoring and health administration

Accounts, Procurement, Monitoring and Evaluation, Partnerships,

• Development of County Health Sector Strategic and investment Plan I 2012-2017& II 2018-2022 (CHSSIP)
• Development of M&E plan to track implementation of health services in the county 2018-2022
• Development of sector working group report for FY 2022/2023 to inform the CSFP
• Revitalized (revive) Quality Improvement Teams in the County, Sub counties with target of four Facilities- LCRH, Lopiding, Lorugum and Katilu Sub County Hospitals
• Conducted OJT on MNH Quality of care (QoC) of 15 Mandatory Indicators in the four facilities; LCRH, Lopiding, Lorugum and Katilu Sub County Hospitals
• Continuous improvement in reporting, data quality and advocate for use of data/information for evidence based decision making
• Support Supervision/Mentorship coaching on Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in the four Centers of Excellence
• Provision of water and basic sanitation in targeted 56 out of 76 health facilities Loima and Turkana west with support of UNICEF and Korea international Corporation agency (KOICA)

4. Lodwar County Referral Hospital

Clinical services and Health Administration Services

Vision

To provide effective and high quality healthcare system that is accessible, equitable and affordable for every resident of Turkana County

Mission

To promote and participate in provision of integrated and high quality promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare services to every resident of Turkana

Mandate

To formulate policies, set standards, provide health services, create an enabling environment and regulate the provision of health service delivery

Lodwar County Referral Hospital

• Accident and emergency unit,
• Ultra-modern ICU with 10 beds
• HDU with 5 beds
• Renal unit with 5 beds
• Two blocks CT scan high resolution 64 and 32 slices CT scan machines
• A satellite regional blood transfusion center
• A central drug store that improved the drug supply chain, and
• Three operating theatres were among the other new infrastructure at the referral hospital.
• 60-body modern mortuary
• ISO certified medical laboratory

Medical Specialists

1 physician

3 orthopedic surgeons

2 general surgeons

2 pediatricians

1 ophthalmologist

1 obstetrician gynecologist

5. Rehabilitative Services, Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Alcohol and drug abuse, rehabilitative and psychosocial services

• Inspection of 301 liquor outlets in the county to ensure that they meet minimum requirements for operation before issuance of licenses.
• 101 liquor outlets were issued with closure notices for not meeting the minimum requirement to reduce the number of outlets in the county and will reduce the consumption of alcoholic drinks in the county.
• The directorate has issued 200 liquor licenses in the entire county.
• Conducted meetings with 7 alcoholic anonymous groups to help in the rehabilitation of drug addicts and illicit brew brewers through group discussions and counseling
• Conducted staff sensitization on the negative effects of alcoholism and drug abuse and working with all ministries in the county to identify staff who need rehabilitation.
• The directorate working together with the customs and the National Police has successfully controlled the importation of alcoholic drinks from neighboring countries
• The directorate working with the Kenya Police and Public Health Officers has successfully minimized availability of alcohol packed in sachets and prohibited by the law from Turkana County
• Working with other stakeholders the Ministry of Health has established a treatment and rehabilitation facility, for the host community and refugees, in Kakuma known as Kakuma Wellness Centre