Several Meru MPs have called on residents to prioritise early medical screening and healthier diets, noting that conditions such as diabetes and hypertension can be effectively managed and in some cases reversed if detected in their early stages.
North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood, who hosted Community Health Promoters (CHPs) at his NGCDF offices, praised the cadre for strengthening primary healthcare following the rollout of the national stipend programme.
Dawood said President William Ruto’s recent State of the Nation address highlighted the vital role CHPs play in disease surveillance and community care.
“President William Ruto’s administration is the first administration to provide a stipend to CHPs, and that recognition is well deserved,” he said.
Meru Woman Representative Karambu Kailemia applauded the workers for what she described as their unmatched impact at the household level. She urged residents to value their health and called for unity within families to curb gender-based violence, which she said contributes to health complications.
Kailemia also used the forum to seek support for her re-election bid and for President Ruto.
Dawood shared his personal experience with diabetes and hypertension, which he discovered during the tense 2017 election period.
He warned that failure to manage the conditions can lead to severe outcomes, including dementia, recounting his late mother’s struggle with the illness. He encouraged men aged 45 to 50 to routinely undergo prostate cancer screening, citing his father’s death from the disease.
County Health CECM Denis Mugambi said Meru has 4,000 CHPs, each serving roughly 100 households, and called for an increase in their stipend to Sh10,000. He noted that CHPs also play a central role in detecting cancer cases and responding to outbreaks such as mpox.
A representative from Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s office, Gideon Kimathi, also commended the health workers, saying their efforts significantly reduce disease spread.
