The County Government of Siaya, through the Department of Health and Sanitation, in collaboration with Help Reach Africa and Jhpiego, has validated a Community Health Promoters (CHPs) Key Messaging and Counselling Guide aimed at strengthening maternal and newborn healthcare at the household level.
The one-day engagement brought together key health stakeholders to review and validate the proposed guide *(in draft),* which seeks to equip CHPs with standardised, practical and easy-to-understand messages on maternal and newborn health.
The initiative comes amid persistent concerns over neonatal mortality, with prematurity and low birth weight remaining major contributors to newborn deaths. Strengthening community-level interventions, particularly awareness and promotion of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), was highlighted as an important strategy for improving newborn survival.
During the engagement, participants reviewed key maternal and newborn health messages, focusing on interventions that families can adopt to protect the health and wellbeing of mothers and their babies.
The guide emphasises the importance of initiating breastfeeding immediately and within the first hour after birth, proper maternal and newborn nutrition, maintaining body warmth, hygiene and general newborn care.
Particular attention was given to Kangaroo Mother Care, especially for premature and low-birth-weight babies. CHPs were encouraged to educate families on the benefits of skin-to-skin contact, promote family involvement and guide caregivers on the importance of sustained KMC in accordance with health workers’ recommendations.
On maternal health, the discussions reinforced the importance of early initiation of antenatal care, completing the recommended eight antenatal care contacts, blood grouping, sickle cell screening and proper nutrition during pregnancy.
Participants also underscored the importance of the first 48 hours after delivery, a critical period for the survival and wellbeing of both mother and baby. The guide highlights the need for timely postnatal assessments and continued follow-up throughout the first six weeks after birth.
To strengthen early detection and referral, CHPs will be guided on recognising newborn danger signs, including difficulty in breathing, poor feeding, failure to gain weight and abnormal body temperature. Babies presenting with such signs should be referred immediately to the nearest health facility for professional assessment and care.
The engagement further emphasised the importance of documenting every household visit, conducting follow-ups and reporting through established community health structures, including Community Health Assistants (CHAs).
Participants undertook a technical review of the draft document, working in groups to assess its content, agree on key messages and ensure that the information was relevant, clear and applicable in community settings.
The validation marks an important step towards standardising maternal and newborn health communication across households in Siaya County. Once finalised and rolled out, the guide is expected to strengthen the capacity of CHPs to deliver accurate health education, improve referrals and reinforce the link between communities and health facilities.
Through the collaboration with Help Reach Africa and Jhpiego, the County Government of Siaya continues to strengthen community-led interventions as part of broader efforts to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
