Major blow for community health promoters as budget slashed by Sh1.4 billion

Community health promoters face a major setback as their budget is cut by Sh1.4 billion in 2025/26. (Photo: File/Waweru Wairimu)

By Charity Kilei
Thursday, June 12, 2025

In the last financial year, CHPs were already grappling with financial constraints, which remain a key challenge in Kenya’s public healthcare system.

Community health promoters (CHPs) have been dealt a major blow after their budget was slashed by Sh1.4 billion, dropping from Sh4.6 billion last fiscal year to Sh3.2 billion in the new proposal.

Trade CS John Mbadi presented the budget proposal in Parliament on Thursday, allocating Sh138.1 billion to the Ministry of Health.

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This significant reduction poses a serious threat to the sustainability of the vital services CHPs provide, despite their proven impact on healthcare delivery across the country.

In the last financial year, CHPs were already grappling with financial constraints, which remain a key challenge in Kenya’s public healthcare system, particularly in supporting CHPs under the government’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme.

Many CHPs experienced delayed stipend payments, prompting government assurances that all arrears would soon be cleared.

According to the Ministry of Health, CHPs have been instrumental in advancing public health, reaching over 15 million Kenyans with essential healthcare services. Their contributions span a wide range of initiatives:

CHPs have conducted visits to more than 3 million households. During these visits, 1.7 million individuals were screened for blood pressure and 1.3 million for blood sugar, reflecting a proactive approach to early diagnosis and prevention.

Over 85,000 individuals were referred to health facilities for further management of high blood pressure or blood sugar, highlighting CHPs' critical role in bridging the gap between communities and formal healthcare systems.

More than 1.3 million children under the age of five have undergone health assessments, highlighting the program’s strong focus on early childhood development and disease prevention.

The integration of digital health tools and the distribution of comprehensive medical kits have enhanced CHPs’ ability to deliver timely and efficient care at the community level.

CHPs have also played a crucial role in registering Kenyans under the Social Health Authority (SHA), contributing to the enrollment of over 20 million members to date.

This budget cut risks undermining the vital work of CHPs, who serve as the first point of contact in primary healthcare, a cornerstone of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.