Strengthening Maternal Nutrition in Rural Kenya through Community Health Promoters Engagement

Maternal undernutrition is a critical public health issue in low- and middle-income countries, including Kenya, where rural communities continue to suffer from prenatal and lactation nutrition challenges. The commitment of Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to improve maternal health and nutrition in Teso South Sub-County, a region with limited access to health care, food restrictions, and declining institutional support systems, was the subject of this research. The study was motivated by the need to understand how CHPs, as frontline workers, navigate these challenges and assist in enhancing maternal outcomes at the community level. In a qualitative research guide, the study employed in-depth interviews and focus group discussions among CHPs, pregnant women, mothers, and key health stakeholders. The findings revealed that CHPs play significant roles in early detection during pregnancy, referrals, personalized nutrition counseling, and hygiene promotion. However, their performances were constrained by systematic problems, including poor training and supervision, excessive workloads, lack of financial incentives, and stalled government-financed nutrition supplementation programs. Cultural religious faith also emerged as a significant constraint to the use of recommended nutrition interventions during pregnancy. On the basis of the above, the study concludes that even though CHPs play a vital role in the delivery of maternal nutrition interventions, their performances are constrained by structural as well as cultural barriers. It recommends the re-establishment and strengthening of institutional support for CHPs in the form of training, materials, and incentives. Further, appropriate health promotion and greater participation of the community can improve program responsiveness and sustainability. These findings support evidence-based policy and program planning to reduce maternal malnutrition in rural Kenya and other places.