The essential role of Community Health Promoters in primary healthcare

“Primary health care enables health systems to support a person’s health needs – from health promotion to disease prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, palliative care and more. This strategy also ensures that healthcare is delivered in a way that is centred on people’s needs and respects their preferences.” – World Health Organisation

These words capture the essence of what Community Health Promoters (CHPs) do every single day in Kenya.

Who are Community Health Promoters (CHPs)?

CHPs are trusted community members trained to deliver essential health services, share knowledge, and link households to the broader health system. They are not just service providers, but neighbours, friends, and confidants who understand the realities their communities face. CHPs are the first point of contact for many families, and often the most trusted bridge between households and the health system.

CHPs role in primary healthcare and maternal & child health

CHPs are frontline educators and advocates for healthier living generally. This blog focuses on their role in maternal and child health, where CHPs:

1. Provide counselling on pregnancy, newborn care, and family planning.
2. Encourage timely antenatal and postnatal appointments.
3. Identify danger signs during pregnancy, and refer mothers and children to a clinic before complications escalate.
4. Promote immunisation, nutrition, hygiene and breastfeeding practices to prevent disease and/or complications.

CHPs focus on prevention and health promotion. This reduces the strain on high-level facilities whilst ensuring that no pregnant woman, mother, or child is left behind due to inaccessible healthcare.

Child.org’s work with CHPs

Child.org works closely with CHPs because of their importance in bridging the gap between communities and the health system. We do this by supporting their training in maternal and neonatal health, so they can run Pregnant Women’s Groups in their communities. Pregnant Women’s Groups support pregnant women with key health information and support. They are safe space to discuss their pregnancy with their CHP and other women.

CHPs are not only facilitators of Pregnant Women’s Groups, but also champions of maternal and newborn health; they provide follow-up and referrals to other services, and ensure families understand the importance of care at every stage.

By working closely with CHPs, Child.org helps strengthen trust in health services. In turn, this increases the uptake of antenatal care, and reduces the risks associated with the three delays that cost lives. These delays are: delay in deciding to seek care, delay in reaching a health facility, and delay in receiving adequate treatment once at the facility.

We spoke to Eunice, a CHP in Narok, about her experience working with pregnant women:

“I want to congratulate Child.org for this opportunity. l was trained on safe pregnancies and childbirth and since then I have been able to register 200 plus women and girls into Pregnant Women’s Groups.”

“I have also managed to enrol pregnant women into a health insurance system known as Social Health Authority (SHA), and all of them deliver at the health facilities no matter what. They also have enjoyed ultrasound services for free.”