Stress worries as counties urged to prioritize payment of community health workers

Mental health challenges faced by community health providers (CHPs) have been exacerbated by the insufficient and inadequate payment of stipends, according to a study conducted in Nairobi and Kiambu counties. The SHINE Study revealed that 95% of respondents in Kiambu and 93% in Nairobi found their stipend as insufficient or unfair.

Dr Lilian Otiso, Lvcthealth Executive Director, noted that community health providers (CHPs) face out-of-pocket expenses for transport, airtime, and medical costs for the community members they refer.

The study also highlighted the impact of heavy workloads on CHPs, with 22.4% of them reporting symptoms of depression, 30.6% experiencing anxiety and 12.7% facing stress. Among Nairobi CHPs, the prevalence of depression was three times higher, anxiety twice as prevalent and stress five times higher compared to their counterparts in Kiambu. Only 12% of Nairobi CHPs reported completing their tasks on time, compared to 34% in Kiambu.

Lvcthealth has introduced measures to address poor mental health among CHPs, including mental health literacy and self-care packages. The organization trained 500 CHPs in Nairobi and Kiambu, providing physical training for 120 and cascading the training to 380 supervisors, who subsequently trained the rest. Currently, 107,000 CPHs have been issued with kits and phones equipped with the electronic Community Health Information System (eCHIS).