Community Health Worker

Visits households to check on pregnant mothers, provides health education on malaria prevention, refers a sick child to the health centre, and updates the community health register.

Entry typically requires a Certificate or Diploma in Community Health from a KMTC campus or other accredited health training institution. After training, registration with the Community Health Workers' Council is mandatory. Many start as volunteers or interns with county health departments, then get absorbed into the government's community health promoter (CHP) programme. Alternatively, NGOs like AMREF Health Africa or Save the Children actively recruit CHWs for community-based projects in rural and informal settlements.

Progression from community health worker to senior CHW or community health facilitator involves taking on supervisory roles over a cohort of CHWs. After 5–7 years, some advance to community health programme officers within NGOs or county health teams, coordinating immunisation drives and disease surveillance. Salaries are modest, ranging from KSh15,000 monthly for junior to KSh50,000 for senior CHWs, but can rise significantly with NGO roles. The career ladder often includes specialisation in areas like maternal and child health or nutrition, and limited pathways to nursing diploma bridging.

The Kenyan market for community health workers is vast, driven by the Ministry of Health's Community Health Promoters (CHP) initiative under UHC. Counties like Kisumu, Makueni, and Nairobi's informal settlements employ large numbers. Key employers include county governments, AMREF, PATH, and the Red Cross. The market is expected to grow with increased donor funding for primary healthcare and the government's push to register all CHWs. However, many CHWs face short-term contracts and poor remuneration, leading to high turnover.

A typical day for a community health worker in a rural village in Machakos begins with a morning meeting at the local dispensary to receive health alerts and supply of medicines like oral rehydration salts. She then walks door-to-door, checking growth charts for children under five and providing counselling on nutrition and malaria prevention. After a short break, she conducts a small group session at the chief's camp on family planning methods. In the afternoon, she refers a pregnant woman with danger signs to the nearest health centre and submits her daily report to the sub-county health records officer via a mobile app.

Kenya has 90,000+ community health volunteers (CHVs) under the Community Health Strategy. County governments are formalising CHW employment. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) relies on community health. Growing recognition and stipends for CHWs. NGOs (Amref, Living Goods) support community health. Salary: entry KES 20,000-40,000, mid KES 45,000-85,000, senior KES 100,000-220,000+ (county-employed).