Turkana: The Department of Health and Sanitation in Turkana on Thursday met with the Early Childhood Development stakeholders to deliberate on the 'Thriving Through Play - Tucheze Tustawi' project spearheaded by AMREF Health Africa. The initiative, designed to enhance children's well-being, development, and learning through structured play, will be rolled out across all 32 health facilities in Turkana West Sub-County, benefiting both host and refugee communities.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Director of Policy Planning, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, James Lobokan, highlighted the project's timely and impactful nature as it aims to support children alongside their caregivers. 'This project is set to not only improve mental health, offer psychological support, and strengthen social-emotional learning for children, but also promote the mental well-being of parents and caregivers,' he said.
Lobokan further emphasised the importance of involving healthcare workers to ensure greater ownership and sustainability of the programme. Echoing these sentiments, Director of Community Health Services, Dr Joseph Lolepo, explained that the project will integrate play into primary healthcare networks and use tools such as the electronic health information system (eCHIS) to strengthen outcomes and bridge gaps.
'This project could leverage on the skills of our healthcare workers to screen children in a timely manner for developmental and learning disabilities,' said Dr Lolepo. The Project Manager Fidelina Nduge added that healthcare workers will be trained to incorporate early childhood stimulation during antenatal care visits. 'Play is crucial in child development as it enhances cognitive, mental, and social skills. We must therefore ensure parents understand its importance,' she said.
Present at the meeting were Deputy Director for Preventive and Promotive Health Daniel Esimit and Acting Deputy Director of Public Health Ismail Ekaran, alongside representatives from physiotherapy, administration, community health services, Neglected Tropical Diseases, WASH, and school health. By integrating play into healthcare and community systems, Turkana is charting a new path towards nurturing healthier, happier, and more resilient generations.