On 31st October 2025, Beisa Hotel hosted a productive workshop organised by the Pathways Policy Institute (PPI) and the Health NGOs Network (HENNET). The workshop aimed to establish the Laikipia County Primary Health Care (PHC) Coalition, a platform meant to bring together Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the County Health Management Team (CHMT). LWF joined other committed stakeholders to deliberate on improving health outcomes in Laikipia County.
The day began with a presentation by Mary Mureithi, Assistant Programme Associate at PPI, who shared the findings of a study on Primary Health Care in Laikipia County. Prior to the workshop, PPI conducted an assessment in Lamuria Health Centre, Ndindika Sub-County Hospital, and Rumuruti Sub-County Hospital to examine how PHC services are financed, managed, and delivered at the facility level. The study focused on financial years 2022/23 and 2024/25, with particular attention to family planning services, governance, and public participation.
The findings revealed that a large portion of the PHC budget is spent on recurrent expenditure, covering salaries, food supplies, and consumables. As a result, there is limited or no funding for development projects, slowing down infrastructure improvements and affecting service quality. The study also highlighted weaknesses in procurement systems, which have contributed to slow utilisation of allocated funds and inefficient use of available resources.
Additional challenges identified included the lack of a dedicated budget for family planning, overreliance on external partners, poor documentation practices, and limited public participation in budgeting and decision-making processes. The Social Health Authority (SHA) was also found to be facing challenges that hinder effective service delivery. These insights formed the basis for the discussions that followed.
The second session was facilitated by Alice Gachigi, the Reproductive Health Coordinator at Laikipia Health Services. She introduced participants to the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) 2022–2027, which calls for a shift from a curative health approach, which is expensive and unsustainable, to a preventive and promotive model. This shift aligns with Kenya’s PHC strategy, which emphasises disease prevention and community-based health services as essential components of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Alice also presented the Kenya Primary Health Care Network (PCN) Model, which aims to enhance referral systems, improve resource use, and strengthen collaboration with the private sector. The model operates on a hub and spoke system, where Level 4 hospitals, including County and Sub-County Referral Hospitals, serve as hubs, while Level 2 and 3 facilities such as dispensaries, clinics, and health centres serve as spokes providing frontline care.
However, Laikipia’s PCN model is still experiencing challenges. The PCN Advisory Committee has not yet been formed. Referral linkages between community units and health facilities remain weak. Many hub facilities lack adequate equipment, and delays in implementing allocated funds continue to hinder progress. To address these challenges, there is a need to increase budget allocation for PHC, strengthen Public–Private Partnerships, and improve IT infrastructure to fully operationalize the Electronic Community Health Information System.
The final session, led by Sherry Muthaura, Advocacy Associate at PPI, introduced the PHC coalition and its objectives. The coalition seeks to coordinate advocacy efforts, ensure meaningful CSO participation in county health planning and budgeting, and link county coalitions to national platforms to promote accountability. Key activities will include joint advocacy campaigns, participation in national and county Health Sector Working Groups, support for the rollout of the Community Health Strategy (2021–2025), and publication of PHC bulletins.
Sherry also outlined the coalition’s governance structure, which will consist of the Advocacy and Policy Committee, the Monitoring and Learning Committee, and the Communications and Engagement Committee. A main committee will be established to appoint a chairperson from among the member organizations to provide leadership and ensure coordination across all committees.
As Laikipia moves forward with implementing PHC reforms, LWF will continue to amplify community voices and support efforts that contribute to a healthier and more sustainable county.
