The Wajir county Health department has begun training newly recruited community health assistants and public health officers on Universal Health Coverage.
Health executive Ismail Sheikh on Monday said the training will equip the officers with knowledge and skills on reproductive, maternal and child health services. He launched the training supported by the national government.
The county intends to increase community demand and utilisation of essential primary health care services which are affordable, accessible and acceptable to all.
Speaking at Wajir Referral Hospital, Sheikh said the training will help improve access and utilisation of the services. They include improved antenatal care services, skilled deliveries, postnatal services, family planning services and nutrition and immunisation services.
“The outcome of the training is to upscale the above mentioned key Reproductive Maternal Newborn Care services at community and facility level through awareness creation, mobilisation, referral and linkage,” he said.
Sheikh noted that Universal Health Coverage is a people-centred health system that ensures all people can benefit from quality health services where and when they need them without suffering financial hardship.
The initiative was launched in Kenya on December 12, 2018 when President Uhuru Kenyatta declared it to be a national priority as part of his Big Four agenda for sustainable national development.
Under this initiative, the government has committed to make strategic investments in health to ensure that all citizens can access essential health services they require by 2022.