Ksh 1.2m USAID 4 the Child project

Sep 20, 2023 - 20:42

CHVs and OVCs receive bicycles from USAID 4The Child to boost preventive health measures.

Busia,

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

KNA By Absalom Namwalo

The County Government of Busia have received a major boost after USAID 4 The Child donated 45 bicycles worth sh. 1.2 million to community health volunteers and caregivers of orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) which aims at improving the provision of health services delivery.

The Deputy Director USAID 4The Child, Kenneth Otieno noted that the 5-year program provides support to 14,859 OVCs and 2,470 children and adolescents living with HIV across the county.

"The bicycles will help in the mobility of the CHVs leading to improved health, facilitating children going to schools in case the schools are far. Caregivers will also access markets and even transport their goods to markets," he said.

The program, which is implemented by Moi University College of Health Sciences (MUCHS) through Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) in partnership with the County Government of Busia and other partners, seeks to increase the use of quality county-led health and social services.

The program which is also implemented in collaboration with two local partners, Busia Parish Family Life Education Program (FLEP) and Akukuranut Development Trust (ADT) has helped change the lives of CHVs and Caregivers through socio-economic activities supported by partners among them tailoring, pottery, chips and mandazi selling.

The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Department of Education and Vocational Training, Beatrice Nakholi on behalf of H.E Dr. Paul Otuoma, Busia Governor lauded the effort put in by USAID 4The Child and other partners and called upon them to help impart skills and knowledge to the VTC students.

"We shall review our curriculum to include Agriculture in all the VTCs, this will help equip the learners ready for the industrial park and export processing zone that is underway," she said.

Nakholi applauded USAID 4The Child for training the CHVs, saying it had greatly improved healthcare at the household level. “The CHVs are the first point of health access and therefore need to be supported to achieve sustained reductions in persistent malnutrition among mothers and children below 5 years,” she said.

Courtesy; KNA