Kilifi Department of Health and Sanitation Services

24/08/2026

The Kilifi County Department of Health was able to participate in the launch the Human-Centred Design (HCD) process being carried out by the STRIDES project. It brings together adolescents, young women, health workers, local administration and other key stakeholders in identifying barriers and opportunities related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Kilifi County including the high maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and other barriers affecting access to and utilisation of quality maternal and reproductive health services.

By combining community perspectives with data from the Department of Health, the HCD process will enable a co-creation of sustainable solutions that are specific, responsive and sustainable.

The HCD process will run to March 2027 where the STRIDES project will be able to design test and upscale viable solutions. Through meaningful co-creation and continuous learning, STRIDES seeks to contribute to solutions that are not only relevant to communities, but also aligned with existing county priorities and systems.



Moving the Goalposts Kenya
Kilifi County Government
Aga Khan Foundation
STRIDES

24/08/2026

The Department of Health convened a workshop for health facility in-charges to address operational challenges related to the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Taifa Care system. Facility administrators reviewed enrollment procedures, system access requirements, and management guidelines to improve administrative workflows across county health centers and dispensaries.

Discussion focused on resolving specific technical barriers affecting system use, particularly in rural and remote facilities. By addressing connectivity issues, user access credentials, and reporting procedures, the meeting aimed to ensure facility staff can process patient registrations and manage claims without operational delays.

Addressing these administrative issues is necessary for consistent service delivery across all facilities. Providing facility managers with clear operational guidance helps prevent delays at service points, improves the reliability of health facility data reported to the county, and supports the implementation of national health schemes in rural areas.



Kilifi County Government
Social Health Authority
Stawisha Pwani

23/08/2026

21/08/2026

19/08/2026

Day Two of the Kenya Health Summit 2026 focused on practical solutions to strengthen healthcare delivery across the counties.

Key discussions centred on healthcare workers, with the Council of Governors committing to address outstanding human resource and labour matters, including pending nurses’ and clinicians’ CBAs.

The Summit also highlighted plans by KEMSA to source 55% of its purchases from local manufacturers, supporting jobs, local production and a more reliable medicines supply chain. SHA further reaffirmed support for renal care, including dialysis, to improve access to specialised treatment and ease the financial burden on patients.

Representing Kilifi County were Health CECM Hon. Peter Mwarogo and Kilifi County Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Gilbert Angore.

For Kilifi, the goal remains clear: a supported health workforce, reliable medicines and quality specialised care closer to our people.

Kilifi County Government
The Ministry of Health
Kilifi County Referral Hospital

18/08/2026

The Department of Health, in partnership with Stawisha Pwani, is actively collaborating with traditional healers and herbalists across rural Kilifi to strengthen community based healthcare referral networks. Historically, these local practitioners have served as the primary, first contact care providers for residents, holding deep cultural trust and accessibility within remote settlements.

By engaging traditional healers as formal allies, the initiative integrates them into the broader health system to guide patients toward mainstream medical facilities when advanced diagnostic or clinical intervention is required. The objective of this collaboration is educational outreach and early triage. Traditional practitioners receive training on recognizing critical clinical signs and symptoms that fall outside their scope, particularly those requiring specialized screening, surgical intervention, or targeted pharmaceutical treatment.

Equipped with this knowledge, herbalists act as community educators and health advocates. They actively advise clients on the necessity of seeking professional evaluation at local dispensaries, health centers, and referral hospitals, bridging the traditional barrier between community level practices and formal healthcare facilities.

By leveraging the established social authority of traditional healers, the health system can overcome rooted medical mistrust, decrease delays in seeking care, and catch severe illnesses, such as chronic diseases and infectious conditions, at earlier, more treatable stages. Establishing a clear, non-adversarial referral pathway ensures that traditional practices complement, rather than conflict with, essential clinical services, expanding total healthcare coverage across rural Kilifi.



Kilifi County Government
Stawisha Pwani
LVCT Kenya

18/08/2026