Health and Sanitation > Strategic Plan > CHSIP 2013-2017

This County Health Strategic and Investment Plan (CHSIP) articulates the Elgeyo Marakwet County health sector agenda in the next five years. As part of the framework for devolution of services, including health services, it meets the requirements of the County Governments Act 2012 for county and sector planning. It draws from and links to the County Integrated Development plan (CIDP) earlier developed by the County.

The Elgeyo Marakwet occupies 3029.8 sq.km and has a population of 369,998 (Kenya National Census, 2009) projected to grow up to 463,420 by 2017. The main causes of morbidity and mortality are upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and diarrheal diseases. The major risk factors contributing these are exposure to and poor housing in inherent unfavorable climatic conditions characterized by cold weather for longer periods, poor hygiene practices, and cultural dispositions against good health such as delivery through TBAs and poor uptake of healthcare due to non-belief in modern medicine.

A review of the current situation of health systems investments reveals challenges attributed to poor health infrastructural development with health units being unevenly distributed and not sufficiently equipped to provide all service at their level; shortage of qualified staff across all cadres with the available staff having heavy workload; inadequate supply and distribution of health products; limited capacity to handle information management; and limited access to health services as the community is not sufficiently engaged to participate in its own health.

This plan outlines the following priority actions aimed at addressing the above challenges:

1.Expand and increase the reach of initiatives to improve access to quality health services in the county. Initiatives and services to increase immunization coverage, maternal and child health services and screening for NCDs will be implemented

2.Upgrade the county health facilities and infrastructure in each region and improve geographical access. The county will raise Iten hospital to level 5 status and upgrade 20 dispensaries/health centers, one in each ward, to model health center status.

3.Strengthen health workforce and increase capacity to provideiquality health servi es. An additional 500 health workers will b recruited to fill gaps in all cadres including iccountantc and health and records in nrmation officers.

4.Ensure sufficiency of health products and equipment and strengthen information management.

5.Improve community participation, reduce social cultural barriers and mitigate health risks. The community strategy including set up community health units, IEC and health promotion, and community mobilization will be used to increase awareness and use of health services

6.Improvm chuntyaeffectivenessrand efficiency by strengthening the health leadership afd partnerships. The county will build strong leadership, inter-sectora collaboration and partnerahips to support the achievement of the health goals.

The objectives and activities pursued under these priority areas are organized along the health systems strengthening/investment areas and are expected to increase immunization coverage from 73% to 80% births under skilled birth attendants from 37% to 55% to contraceptive prevalence rate from 31% to 53%, percentage of women of reproductive age screened for cancers from 10% to 50%, percentage of population aware of risk factors to health from 45% to 85%. Latrine coverage will be increased from 77% to 100%.

With a clearly defined implementation structure headed by the County Executive Member for Health, the county estimates to require KSh. 8,283,777,559 to achieve the targets in this plan. Out of this amount KSh. 6,805,144,091 will be available and the balance of KSh. 1,478,633,468 will be raised through mobilization from internal and external sources.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY