Samburu County (0030’ – 2045’N and 36015’ – 38010’E) is within the northern parts of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. The County lies within the ASAL region covering an area of 21,090 square kilometers. Samburu County has a population growth rate of about 3% per annum. The total projected population is about 359,754 people as of 2024. There are also development partners working and residing within the county. They help in strengthening and improving the provision of health care services. The County borders Turkana (Northwest), Baringo (Southwest), Marsabit (Northeast), Isiolo (East) and Laikipia (South) counties. It is a member of North Rift Economic Block (NOREB) and the Frontier Counties Development Council (FCDC).
The County is comprised of three Sub Counties namely Samburu Central, Samburu North, and Samburu East as shown in figure 1. The county has three constituencies, 15 wards, 7 divisions, 39 locations, and 108 sub-locations/villages. In terms of economic activities, the largest part of the County’s population (80%) are pastoralists while others are agro-pastoralists and a small population of the business community.
Over the past 5 years, significant investments were made in health infrastructure, including the construction of new health facilities and the upgrading of existing facilities. Efforts to ensure a continuous supply of essential medicines were complemented by the expansion of telemedicine services and mobile health outreaches. Leadership initiatives focused on governance training, policy development, stakeholder engagement, enhancing accountability and transparency.
There are 106 Public Health facilities, 34 Private Health Facilities and 8 Faith Based Organizations giving a total of 148 health care facilities. The county has 1 CECM for health, 2 COs, 3 directors, program officers and other health care workers. There are 2 general surgeons, 1 ENT surgeon, 1 pediatrician, 1 Nephrologist, 1 family physician and 1 general physician. There are also several community health promoters at the community level who assist in improving primary health care at the household level. There are also health promoters working at conservancies and wildlife reserves who frequently refer patients to various health facilities within or near such conservancies.
The health workforce saw the recruitment of new staff, promotion of staff and the provision of continued education and specialized training, along with mental health support initiatives to address turnout and promote work-life balance. These strategic efforts are collectively aimed at improving healthcare access, patient outcomes and system resilience.
