Turkana health officials and partners have identified community health services and SHA funding as priorities for the next phase of emergency nutrition response.
A six-month emergency project delivered health, nutrition and WASH services through 184 outreach sites across 10 Turkana sub-counties.
Partners called for sustainable financing, stronger household follow-up and community participation to maintain essential services amid shrinking donor funding.
Health officials and development partners in Turkana have identified stronger community health services and the use of Social Health Authority (SHA) funds as priorities for future emergency health and nutrition programming.
The priorities emerged during a close-out meeting held in Lodwar on October 9, 2026, to review Phase I of the six-month Emergency Integrated Nutrition and WASH Response Project.
Implemented by the County Government of Turkana in partnership with Save the Children Kenya across 10 sub-counties, the project was funded through the Eastern and Southern Africa Humanitarian Fund. It sought to reduce acute malnutrition through integrated lifesaving health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene services, particularly for hard-to-reach and mobile populations.
Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Health Services Agnes Mana said the intervention had complemented government efforts to improve health and nutrition outcomes. She noted that its lessons would guide future programming, especially the delivery of services to mobile communities along migratory routes.
Mana called for stronger household visits, follow-up of patients who miss treatment or appointments, and targeted interventions through school health and One Health “kimormor” approaches.
She also highlighted the county’s 66 per cent immunization coverage as an area requiring attention to improve access to essential child health services.
UNICEF Kenya Health and Nutrition Coordinator Francis Kidake urged partners to prioritise cost-effective, government-led service delivery amid shrinking donor funding. He emphasised the need to involve communities in planning and implementation while finding sustainable ways to continue outreach services.
Kidake also called on health teams to draw on documented evidence, including the R-SWITCH study and experience from Integrated Community Case Management, to guide interventions and strengthen community engagement.
Participants identified SHA funds as a potential source of support for facility-led outreach services. Kakelae and Kaaleng health facilities were cited as examples already using the approach.
Save the Children Programme Manager for Turkana Shariff Abdalla reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to working with the county government and health partners. He attributed the project’s achievements to partnerships developed over the years.
During the six-month intervention, services were delivered through 184 outreach sites. Remote communities accessed nutrition screening, immunization, antenatal and postnatal care, child welfare services and WASH interventions.
The response was supported by the county government’s provision of 10,133 bags of Corn Soya Blend, alongside 33 additional partner-supported outreach sessions.
UNICEF supported WASH services, while World Vision provided unconditional cash transfers reaching 8,950 households.
The meeting brought together county health officials and partners to assess achievements and identify lessons for the next phase of emergency health and nutrition programming, with community participation, sustainable financing and continued outreach emerging as central priorities.