{"id":4084,"date":"2026-02-10T07:12:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T07:12:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amref.org\/kenya\/?page_id=4084"},"modified":"2026-02-10T08:16:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T08:16:56","slug":"primary-health-care","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/amref.org\/kenya\/primary-health-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Primary Health Care"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The Challenge<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Primary Health Care (PHC) is the\u00a0<\/span>foundation<\/span>\u00a0of Kenya\u2019s health system and the most effective pathway to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Despite strong policy commitments and recent reforms, PHC in Kenya continues to face structural and operational challenges that limit access to quality, people-centred care<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>especially for underserved and marginalized populations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Many primary-level health facilities operate with\u00a0inadequate infrastructure, limited essential medicines, and critical shortages of skilled health workers. These gaps weaken service readiness and compromise the quality of care delivered at the community and facility level. As a result, preventable and manageable\u00a0<\/span>illnesses<\/span>\u00a0often go undetected or untreated until they become severe, placing unnecessary pressure on referral hospitals and increasing health system costs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Community Health Promoters (CHPs), who play a vital role in prevention, early detection, and linkage to care, are often under-supported, limiting their effectiveness in delivering comprehensive PHC services.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Primary Care Networks (PCNs), established to link community health services, dispensaries, health centres, and referral facilities, remain unevenly functional across counties. Weak referral and counter-referral systems, poor coordination across levels of care, and fragmented service delivery disrupt continuity of care and reduce efficiency.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Financing remains a persistent challenge. PHC is chronically underfunded, with reliance on out-of-pocket payments and external donor support continuing to expose households to financial hardship. Delayed reimbursements, fragmented purchasing mechanisms, and limited domestic investment constrain service delivery and undermine financial protection.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Additionally, weak health information systems and limited use of data for planning and accountability reduce the responsiveness of PHC services. Community voices are insufficiently integrated into decision-making, affecting trust, service uptake, and accountability.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Without sustained investment in PHC systems, workforce, financing, and governance, Kenya risks widening health inequities and slowing progress toward UHC. Strengthening PHC is therefore essential to delivering equitable, resilient, and high-quality care for all.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Our Approach: Transforming Community Health through Primary Health Care <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Amref Health Africa\u2019s mission<\/span><\/span>\u00a0is anchored on Primary Health Care<\/span><\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>transform the health of communities\u00a0<\/span><\/span>with a focus on women and young people<\/span><\/span>. Guided by Kenya\u2019s PHC reforms and Amref\u2019s PHC Big Bet<\/span><\/span>, we work<\/span><\/span>\u00a0to build resilient, integrated, and equitable primary care systems that deliver quality services close to where people live.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Community-centred Primary Health Care <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Amref strengthens community health systems by equipping and supporting Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to deliver preventive, promotive, and basic curative services, identify health risks early, and link individuals and families to care within Primary Care Networks (PCNs). This ensures PHC is people-centred, accessible, and responsive to real community needs.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Strengthening response systems for newborn care<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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To transform community health outcomes at scale, Amref works with national and county governments to build\u00a0<\/span>functional, sustainable PCNs<\/span>\u00a0that connect community services, primary care facilities, and referral hospitals. These networks improve coordination, strengthen referral and counter-referral systems, and ensure continuity of care<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>reducing preventable complications and avoidable hospitalisations.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Quality and integrated services at the frontline<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Amref embeds quality improvement and respectful care into PHC delivery, ensuring that essential services<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>including maternal, newborn, sexual and reproductive health, family planning, NCD prevention and management, and preventive services<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>are integrated and delivered effectively at the primary level.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Digital and data-driven PHC systems<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Amref<\/span><\/span>\u00a0leverage<\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span>\u00a0digital solutions to strengthen frontline service delivery, improve client tracking, support decision-making by health workers, and enable the use of real-time data for planning, accountability, and performance management<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>driving better outcomes for communities.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Sustainable financing, governance, and scale<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Working alongside government and partners, Amref strengthens PHC financing, leadership, and social accountability mechanisms to enable government-led scale-up of proven PHC innovations. This ensures long-term impact beyond projects.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

By strengthening PHC systems that are\u00a0rooted in communities and owned by government, Amref delivers on its mission to transform the health of communities<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>ensuring equitable, resilient, and high-quality care for all.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Projects under the PHC Portfolio <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Project<\/th>\r\n Counties of Implementation<\/th>\r\n <\/tr>\r\n <\/thead>\r\n
CHU4UHC <\/td>\r\n Nyeri, Kwale, Nakuru <\/td>\r\n <\/tr>\r\n
Integrated Refugee Response Programme- Danida Transcend <\/td>\r\n Turkana<\/td>\r\n <\/tr>\r\n
Learning for Life <\/td>\r\n Nakuru, Machakos, Kiambu<\/td>\r\n <\/tr>\r\n <\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Our Impact<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\r\n 72<\/span>\r\n

Functional Primary Care Networks (PCNs) supported nationwide.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n

\r\n PHC Act 2023<\/span>\r\n

\r\n Regulations advanced to public participation stage.\r\n \r\n Amref commitment: KES 6M of KES 24M total cost.\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n

\r\n 20,000+<\/span>\r\n

\r\n Community Health Promoters trained to date, including 5,000+ trained nationally.\r\n \r\n Over 1,000 bicycles provided to enhance CHP mobility.\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n

\r\n 2,343<\/span>\r\n

Facility-based health workers trained through in-service capacity building.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n

\r\n KES 28.6B<\/span>\r\n

Claimed from the Social Health Authority for PHC\/SHIF funding.<\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Challenge Primary Health Care (PHC) is the\u00a0foundation\u00a0of Kenya\u2019s health system and the most effective pathway to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Despite strong policy commitments and recent reforms, PHC […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":100,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"full-width.php","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"yst_prominent_words":[2123,55,40,623,553,554],"class_list":["post-4084","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n