2018-2021

SAVING LIVES THROUGH SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS

2018-2021

LIVING GOODS

Living Goods works in partnership with governments to build sustainable community health systems. The organisation implemented its community health worker model in Uganda with extraordinary success and began replicating it in Kenya in 2015. We supported its efforts to fully reach western Kenya. In 2020, we funded its work tackling the COVID-19 crisis in the country, while ensuring the continuity of essential community health services.

www.livinggoods.org

CHALLENGE

Across Sub-Saharan Africa, community health workers are the frontline for medical help. In remote areas, they provide essential care, medicines and referrals for maternal and child health problems, and COVID-19. Too often, however, these workers are not effectively trained, equipped or financed.

ACTION

Living Goods supports thousands of government community health workers in Kenya to ensure they are digitally enabled, properly equipped, effectively supervised, and fairly compensated.

Living Goods also works with the Kenyan Government and individual counties to develop the policies and tools necessary to strengthen and sustain community health systems and work towards universal health coverage.

In 2019, Living Goods facilitated the government’s first digital community health data, which will enhance availability of data for decision-making.

As well as maternal and child health, Living Goods also piloted the extension of community health workers’ services, including family planning, immunisation, counselling, and referral services.

By the end of 2019, the organisation had trained over 2,000 community health workers in Kiambu, Kisii, Kakamega, Nakuru and Busia, reaching over 1.5 million people with immunisation services and identifying 23,000 children under-five as under vaccinated.

IMPACT

At the end of 2019, Living Goods was supporting over 2,900 Kenyan community health workers in 13 counties and serving 1.6 million people. A randomised control trial showed that the Living Goods model reduced child mortality by over 27% in communities.

2,900

COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS SUPPORTED IN KENYA

at the end of 2019. (2,000 of which are trained in family planning, immunisation and counselling)

1.6

PEOPLE SERVED BY COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS

at the end of 2019

REDUCTION IN CHILD MORTALITY

in communities where Living Goods works

COVID-19 EMERGENCY SUPPORT

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Living Goods ensured the continuity of essential community health services and supported the Kenyan government’s response with technical advice and critical supplies. It also trained all Living Goods staff and community health workers in seven counties in COVID-19 prevention, early case detection, reporting procedures, and personal safety measures.