Kericho: Kericho County has intensified its fight against Tuberculosis (TB) following a sensitisation forum aimed at empowering sub-county health teams and community health workers with enhanced skills in tracing, monitoring, and managing TB cases. The training, held at Sunshine Upper Hill Conference Hall, brought together public health officers, community health assistants, and health promoters whose grassroots role is critical in reaching patients beyond health facilities.
According to Kenya News Agency, the session was conducted in partnership with Tamatisha TB, a national initiative led by the Centre for Health Solutions-Kenya (CHS) and the NTLD-Programme, with key partners working to strengthen Kenya's fight against tuberculosis. Addressing participants drawn from across the county during the official opening of the forum, the County Director of Health Services, Dr Betty Langat, commended the unwavering dedication of community health workers, noting that their grassroots interventions remain pivotal in bridging the gap between health facilities and patients.
She emphasised that through their commitment to tracing, monitoring, and supporting patients within communities, these frontline health workers play a critical role in strengthening primary healthcare delivery and advancing the county's efforts to curb the burden of disease. 'Most of our TB patients are found within the community rather than in hospitals. That is why your work at the grassroots level is so critical. Our priority is to ensure that every patient remains on treatment and that no one, particularly those at risk of defaulting, is lost to follow-up,' she emphasised.
In an interview with KNA, Dr Langat noted that the forum was the second sensitisation initiative under a multi-sectoral collaboration targeting improved TB prevention and care. She stressed that sustained and coordinated partnerships will be instrumental in accelerating the reduction of TB incidents across Kericho County.
Dr Langat further underscored the county's commitment to ensuring no patient is left behind, particularly vulnerable groups such as people living with HIV. She highlighted the importance of scaling up contact tracing, strengthening treatment adherence, and expanding access to Therapeutic Preventive Therapy (TPT). 'We are working together with our public health officers, our community health assistants, and our community health promoters to make sure that all our patients who have TB continue with their treatment. No patient should be left out, and no patient should be left outside the treatment cycle,' Dr Langat affirmed.
Globally, TB remains one of the leading causes of death from infectious diseases. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the disease claimed approximately 1.25 million lives in 2023, making it the second-deadliest after COVID-19, with an estimated 10.8 million people falling ill that same year. In Kenya, surveillance gaps remain a major challenge. A national TB prevalence survey revealed that bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB among individuals aged 15 years and above stood at 558 cases per 100,000-almost double the detection rate-pointing to a large pool of undiagnosed cases within communities.