Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
Articles Information
Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol.6, No.4, Dec. 2020, Pub. Date: Nov. 6, 2020
Cost Variations in the Implementation of the Community Health Strategy by Socio-economic Setting in Kenya
Pages: 340-346 Views: 1023 Downloads: 191
Authors
[01] Margaret Kaseje, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Great Lakes University of Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya.
[02] Maximilla Wanzala, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Great Lakes University of Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya.
[03] Christopher Onyango, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, Great Lakes University of Kisumu, Kisumu, Kenya.
Abstract
Background: A Community Health Unit is the basic unit for implementing a Community Health Strategy that was embraced by the Kenyan government in 2006. Despite the country-wide existence of these units, no studies have been undertaken to determine the costs in the different socio-economic, geographic and cultural settings and in rural, peri-urban and nomadic regions. Yet the information would be important for planning and policy towards effective health utilization by community members. Objective: This study aimed to determine costs of establishing community health units as the basic functional community structures for supporting uptake of health services. Methods: This longitudinal study carried out in 2011 examined the costs incurred for setting up and implementing Community Health Units in rural, peri-urban and nomadic regions over a period of 12 months. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Results: The findings showed that the cost of setting up and implementing a functional community health unit varied in the different contexts studied (rural agrarian at US$ 4,152, peri-urban at US$ 65,461 and nomadic at US$31,948). Conclusion: The variation of cost in starting and implementing the Community Health Units in the different settings is related to the operational direct and indirect costs, with the peri-urban having the highest cost in the overall establishment of a Community Health Unit. Determining cost will assist in annual planning and policy for the different settings.
Keywords
Cost Analysis, Community Health Strategy, Health Indicators, Community Health Units, Community Health Worker
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