Access to Health Services: Kilifi County Case Study

Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) and Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections (parasitic worms) continue to pose significant health challenges globally, with an estimated 1.5 billion people infected.¹ An estimated 5 million children in Kenya are at risk of soil-transmitted helminthiasis.² In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Helen Keller International conducts Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) and deworming events to combat VAD. As part of their program implementation, Helen Keller International routinely conducts post-intervention coverage surveys with additional survey modules to monitor the overall healthcare for caregivers and children. External surveys done by UNICEF – the SMART survey – estimate the overall VAS coverage in Kilifi to be 53%, lower than the Sub-saharan Africa average of 59.4%.³ In July 2023, IDinsight’s DataDelta team conducted a representative study in Kilifi County, Kenya, to assess the coverage of Helen Keller’s VAS and deworming programmes and to assess caregiver knowledge and practices, access to healthcare services, and satisfaction with maternal and child healthcare services.

This brief provides insights into important healthcare access elements in Kilifi County. In the brief, we highlight findings and recommendations from a cross-sectional household caregiver survey focusing on access to health services and caregiver knowledge. We also share findings and recommendations from exploratory, non-representative quantitative interviews with healthcare extension workers and community health promoters (CHPs) involved in VAS activities.

Read our recommendations for improved healthcare access in Kilifi in our policy brief.