Community Health Promoters on the frontline: How a digital health intervention bridged the gap in community case management of childhood illnesses in Busia, Kenya.

Nairobi, 26^th September 2024 – An end-of-project evaluation study by the Kenya Medical Research Institute has found evidence that data and technology driven community-based healthcare significantly improves treatment coverage for the leading causes of child mortality: acute respiratory infections (ARI), diarrhoea, and malaria. The evaluation focused on a five-year integrated community case management (iCCM) intervention implemented from 2017 to 2023 in Busia County by Living Goods in partnership with the Busia County Government.

The iCCM project leveraged on a digital platform to enable, equip with right tools, skills, and health commodities, supervise, and compensate Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to deliver treatment interventions closer to where caregivers and sick children are located. Providing access to essential health services within their communities and reducing the need for travel to distant healthcare facilities, the digital tools helped CHPs provide closer and prompt care, and therefore bridging the gap between the community and health facilities.

The evaluation found a major achievement in the increase of malaria testing, which rose from 51% to 75%. By taking on more responsibility for testing, CHPs globally known as CHWs reduced the workload load in health facilities and made it easier for children to get diagnosed and treated within their communities. As a result, same-day diagnosis and treatment of malaria improved significantly, from 9% to 59%.

Dr. Elizabeth Echoka-Wafula, end of project evaluation lead and Senior Principal Research Scientist at KEMRI, said: “One of the most significant achievements from the five-year project is the improvement in access to timely and appropriate treatment for common childhood illnesses like malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea. As a result of this CHP-led approach, a considerable reduction in both morbidity and mortality was evident, with more children receiving essential care at the doorstep of their homes”.

“Morbidity data collected from health facilities also shows a significant decrease in the number of children presenting to health facilities with uncomplicated malaria, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Community Health Promoters who provided malaria testing, treatment and timely referral in their local communities,” said Dr. Echoka.

“In addition to the positive health outcomes, one key highlight from the project is that the Living Goods supported digital health platform greatly enhanced the skills and competency of CHVs. Through interactive decision support algorithms and real-time guidance, CHVs are empowered to make better clinical decisions, track patient outcomes, and ensure accurate reporting”, Dr Echoka.

Thomas Onyango, Living Goods’s Country Director Kenya said: “The success in Busia is a blueprint for reducing child mortality.  By empowering CHPs to deliver high-quality care at the community level we can save many lives when we give health workers the right tools, training, and support. By expanding such a program, we’re moving closer to a world where every child, no matter where they live, can get the care they need to stay healthy and grow.”

“Despite these remarkable successes, sustainability remains a challenge. There is need to address gaps in ensuring long-term support for CHPs incentives, digital tools, and regular supervision. These challenges underscore the need for continued collaboration between the community, government, and development partners” Dr Echoka.

Media Contact:

Ruth Chitwa – Communications Manager, Kenya- Living Goods

gro.sdooggnivilobfsctd@awtihcr

James Wodera – Corporate Communications – KEMRI,

ek.og.irmekobfsctd@aredowj