Description
Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 39% of deaths and over half of hospital bed occupancy in Kenya. Marginalized counties such as Wajir—characterized by vast geography, limited infrastructure, and historically low health investment—face a rising NCD burden. This study assessed the readiness of primary healthcare (PHC) facilities in Wajir County to deliver essential NCD services, focusing on service availability, workforce capacity, supply chain functionality, health information systems, and community engagement.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in all 93 operational public PHC facilities. Data were collected through structured questionnaires with facility in-charges, supplemented by document reviews and stakeholder interviews. Analysis used SPSS with descriptive statistics and Kendall’s Tau-b correlation.
Results: Only 45% of facilities offered any NCD services. Risk assessment and health promotion were rated poorly by 65.9% of respondents, and 44.3% considered treatment quality inadequate. Service limitations led to frequent referrals in 64.6% of facilities. Workforce shortages affected 63%, with 73.4% citing inadequate NCD training; gender imbalances and high turnover undermined cultural responsiveness and continuity. Medicine shortages were widespread—cancer (87.3%), diabetes (44.3%), cardiovascular (59.5%)—reflecting systemic supply chain gaps. Weak health information systems were evident: 63% lacked ICT infrastructure and 78% had no computerized disease registry, limiting NCD tracking. Funding constraints were severe, with 77% reporting inadequate government support and 89% lacking internal revenue generation. Leadership through supervision and guideline use improved the correlation between system inputs and service delivery from 0.313 to 0.394.
Conclusion: PHC facilities in Wajir County face systemic deficits in service delivery, workforce capacity, medicine availability, and data systems, undermining early detection, continuity of care, and equity. Targeted investment, workforce training, supply chain reform, and community engagement are essential to achieving Kenya’s universal health coverage and NCD targets.
Keywords: Primary Health Care; Non-Communicable Diseases; Health Systems Strengthening; Wajir County; Kenya; Health Workforce
| Country | Kenya |
|---|---|
| Organization | Academic Institution |
| Received a Grant? | No |
