Performance and Sustainability of Community Health centres in Kenya’s Rural Areas: Case study of centres in Kathonzweni Division of Makueni District

Abstract

Communities in rural areas often face the challenge of limited access to healthcare services. The barriers that exist in accessibility of healthcare in rural areas are vast geographical distances, shortage of medical personnel and medications or essential services required by communities. Medical personnel are an important resource in the rural health facilities but many communities continue to experience shortages of qualified medical personnel. Therefore enabling rural populations to access and improve their health is a major challenge worldwide. Kenya, like several low-income countries, has a large proportion of poor people with limited access to health and social services. Lack of adequate access to primary healthcare is a major challenge this is because health care services are wanting and in many rural areas communities have to walk for over 6 kilometers or more to access health care. The quality of health care in rural areas in Kenya is unsatisfactory and its quantity is inadequate to meet the ever-increasing demand for health care. In response to the challenges faced rural areas communities are mobilizing human and financial resources to build community health centers that will address the gaps.  However the problems in health service provision have proved difficult to overcome and many community health institutions remain heavily dependent on donors for their ongoing operations.

Keywords: health centres, community health centres in Kenya, performance, sustainability