Malaria remains a public health problem in Kenya with about 70 percent of the population at risk of the life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Kenya ranks fifth in a list of countries that are estimated to account for 90 per cent of malaria cases in the African region with some regions being more prone to malaria largely driven by altitude, rainfall patterns and temperature.
Community Health Volunteers
By working within community structures with the support of community health volunteers, the costs of accessing malaria diagnosis and treatment services has largely reduced in the malaria lake endemic Counties. This has been realised by having community health volunteers (CHVs) offer malaria tests, treat uncomplicated cases and refer the complicated cases and pregnant mothers with malaria positive results to nearby health facilities for further management.
The approach known as community case management of malaria (CCMM) has contributed to offloading the burden of treating uncomplicated cases from the health facilities through early detection and treatment by the CHVs right in the community. CCMM has seen over 591,000 uncomplicated malaria cases diagnosed and treated by CHVs at household level. Community case management of malaria contributed to a decline in Malaria prevalence from 38% in 2010 to 27% in 2015 (Kenya Malaria Survey 2015).
For the critical role they continue to play, Amref Health Africa continues to advocate for the integration of CHWs into the health workforce, and that they are compensated for their efforts in complementing the work of health professionals, as well as receive continued support and supervision by mid-level health workers in health facilities. Amref further calls upon county governments to invest in refresher training for CHWs every three years so they can continue to provide services to those in need.
School Health Programs
It has also been shown that school-based programs can play an important role in promoting behaviour change especially in health. Without interfering with their academics, children are potential agents of change within their families and the community. By sharing information from school with the family, questioning existing practices at home, and influencing the behaviour of siblings in their care, children can change their own behaviour and that of others. In support of Ministry of Health efforts to end Malaria, Amref Health Africa through the Global Fund Malaria project supported an intervention to promote net use at household level through school pupils.
Implemented in eight lake endemic counties (Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, Homabay, Siaya, Migori and Kisumu), the intervention brought to the fore the low risk perception built on the belief that one can only get Malaria during the rainy and dry seasons, and that only pregnant women and children under the age of five years are at risk of malaria.
Using school pupils as change agents has ensured that malaria prevention and control messages are passed across households, promoting dialogue with household members around net use while incorporating messages on proper hygiene.
