Community Health Promoters Graduation and Celebration WOHD

On the 20th March 2024, the Kenya Dental Association in partnership with the Ministry of Oral Health and Kiambu County Government, held the graduation of 400 Community Health Promoters or Volunteers together with Dental Screening and Oral Health education for another 500 members of the public. This was a culmination of the FDI-funded WDDF, Community Health Promoter training on Oral Health. This was to initiate the integration of oral health into the primary healthcare system in Kenya.This was through the WHO online course on oral health. At the end of it, they received their course certificates. Following this completion, we slotted the graduation at the Ndumberi Stadium, Kiambu County. We had various partners like MoH, KMTC, GSK, Colgate, Unilever, Mars Wrigley, Sai Pharmaceuticals, Sun Pharma, Platinum Wasser, Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenyatta National Hospital, University of Nairobi and Fresha. The Guest of Honour was the Principal Secretary, of the Department of Medical Services, Mr Harry Kimtai who presided over the graduation ceremony. We marched from the county offices and through the streets of Ndumberi Town, we had dental screening of members of the public, we had giveaways in the form of toothpaste and toothbrushes and chewing gum. We had face painting for the children, we had a poem skits on oral health hygiene and behaviour by members of KMTC. Then the main event was the graduation ceremony for the 400 CHPs trained on oral health. The Government of Kenya has prioritized Primary Health Care in the country. It is the hope that this will steer other counties to embark on the same. We still have another 2600 CHPS not trained in Kiambu County that we hope to have trained.