Project Lead(s): Richard Magerenge
Isolated communities on Mfangano island in Lake Victoria lack access to Kenya’s health care system, and less than 50% of mothers receive antenatal care or deliver with skilled attendants. Ekialo Kiona’s Health Navigation (HN) model strengthens the emergency referral system for mothers and newborns by establishing a durable pathway for healthy pregnancies, safe deliveries, and effective referrals. This innovation mobilizes local experts, community health volunteers (CHVs), to act as educators, skilled referral coordinators, and patient advocates. Financed through a community-managed fund, CHVs fill planning and communication gaps that make families vulnerable during emergencies.