The Nakuru County Department of Health has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling tuberculosis (TB) by bridging knowledge and service delivery gaps within the healthcare workforce. The County has launched targeted capacity-building programs aimed at improving TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes across the community health system.

Today, the Chief Officer for Public Health, Joyce Ncece, presided over the launch of a one-day training for Community Health Promoters (CHPs) drawn from Naivasha Sub-County. The training, supported by the Centre for Health Solutions – Kenya (CHS), is designed to enhance the ability of CHPs to identify suspected TB cases, improve referrals for testing, support treatment initiation, and monitor adherence to prescribed regimens.

The initiative is aligned with the National Strategic Plan (NSP) for TB 2023/24–2027/28, which calls for stronger community-based interventions to reduce the number of undiagnosed TB cases. According to the NSP, nearly 48% of TB cases in Kenya remain undetected, contributing to continued transmission and preventable deaths. By engaging CHPs, Nakuru County aims to ensure early detection, reduce delays in treatment, and improve overall health outcomes at the community level.

Speaking during the launch, CO Ncece emphasized that empowering CHPs with knowledge and tools will directly benefit residents through enhanced TB awareness campaigns, increased community testing, improved patient support, and consistent follow-up. These measures will help minimize treatment interruptions and lower TB-related mortality in Nakuru County.

County TB Coordinator, Dr. Neimah Barasa, reiterated the importance of CHPs in connecting communities to health facilities. She highlighted that strengthening this linkage is essential for sustaining progress in TB control, particularly in high-burden sub-counties such as Naivasha.

Later in the afternoon, CO Ncece hosted a delegation from the Gates Foundation, accompanied by representatives from Tshingua University, at Naivasha Sub-County Hospital. The team conducted an assessment of Global Fund-supported programs, focusing on identifying challenges in implementation and sharing best practices in TB and HIV service delivery.

The delegation toured key hospital departments including the Laboratory, Radiology, Chest Clinic, and Outpatient Department (OPD). The visit provided insights into how TB and HIV services are integrated to improve patient management and strengthen health system efficiency.

Also present during the engagement were Public Health Director Elizabeth Kiptoo, senior officials from NASCOP, the National TB Program led by Aiban Ronoh, AMREF, and other partner organizations supporting TB and HIV interventions in Nakuru County.

Through these initiatives, the County Government of Nakuru aims to scale up TB prevention and treatment services, reduce undetected cases, and improve community health outcomes in line with national and global TB targets.