Community Health volunteers to receive monthly stipend

Community health volunteers will get a Sh2,000 monthly stipend if the county assembly approves a new policy.

The County Health Services Policy is also meant to institutionalise the work of the 1,500 volunteers and ensure that the county government supports them, according to Public Health and Sanitation Officer Redempta Muendo.

Apart from the stipend, the volunteers are also expected to receive bicycles to help them move around the expansive county more easily.

"They are known to offer primary public healthcare and conduct awareness in the county. Our aim therefore is to motivate them to continue offering services to locals at the grassroots. Community health volunteers are very important," Ms Muendo said.

The policy drafted in June has already been sent to the county executive, which is expected to give input before submitting it to the county assembly.

The official who spoke during World Hand Washing Day celebrations at Perani Primary School on Saturday said at least Sh2 million was set aside in the last financial year to buy the bicycles but they had not been bought due to lack of a policy.

"The county government also set aside Sh24 million for the monthly stipends and again, the lack of a policy was a problem. Now that we have come up with one and handed it over for scrutiny and legalisation by the county assembly, everything will be done according to the law," she added.

The county assembly's Health committee chairman, Kassim Pojjo, assured residents that they would pass the policy as a way of boosting health services in the region.