The agenda was how to rapidly implement training for the country’s 130,000 Community Health Workers across Kenya’s 47 counties to address the health and climate co-burdens from reliance on polluting solid fuels and kerosene for household energy.

Discussions focussed on the new Household Air Pollution, Health and Prevention Module developed by CLEAN-Air(Africa) for the national Kenyan training curricula for community health workers (CHWs).  The module is delivered to CHWs by trainers over a three-five day workshop empowering them to educate households in the prevention of household air pollution related disease through harm minimisation and behaviour change (including clean cooking). The training workshops and associated job aids are scheduled for national implementation under Kenya’s Universal Health Coverage with support from the First Lady of Kenya (HE Rachel Ruto).

Strategic decisions centred on how the training can be facilitated through digital technology (supported by the625: TeachBox – experts in digital global health training and a key CLEAN-Air(Africa) partner).  In addition, digital health surveillance of key energy, air pollution and health indicators (tracking SDG7) through the Kenyan Health Informatics Community Health System was discussed using the TeachBox platform (MOH514).

There was much excitement about the potential for the community health system in Kenya to (i) raise population awareness of the health detriments of household air pollution and (ii) steer population-level behaviour change to clean household energy, alongside the government’s current efforts (e.g. regulation and subsidy for cooking gas).  Through CLEAN-Air(Africa) partners in Uganda, Rwanda and Cameroon are adopting the CHW training initiative and are watching developments in Kenya closely.

The workshop concluded with a presentation by Dr James Mwitari (co-Director for CLEAN-Air(Africa) and Director of the KEMRI Air Pollution Centre of Excellence (ACE). Dr Mwitari outlined the ACE Strategic Plan for 2023 -2028 which is currently being finalised and is a joint Annual Work Plan developed to spearhead transition to clean energy solutions, and promotion of low carbon technologies to reduce emissions and promote better quality of life and health for Kenyan families.

The workshop is the start of an important journey in addressing the burden of disease from household air pollution in Kenya through population transition to clean modern energy by 2028.