LVCT Health, in partnership with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), recently advanced efforts to improve antenatal healthcare through the C-it DU-it Study in Homa Bay County.
Over a three-day consortium review meeting, Community Health Promoters (CHPs), health facility staff, and partners reflected on progress, share lessons, and explore opportunities for strengthening maternal healthcare delivery.
The discussions focused on what had been working well, the challenges encountered, and strategies to address them for better outcomes.
đź“Š Achievements to date include:
- Over 6,500 pregnant women reached with improved antenatal care (ANC) services.
- More than 420 CHPs trained and supported to strengthen linkages between communities and health facilities.
- ANC attendance at targeted facilities increased by 28% in the last year.
- Introduction of digital tools to link community and facility data, reducing delays in decision-making and follow-up care.
- Strengthened referral systems, with over 1,200 mothers-to-be successfully referred for timely ANC and skilled delivery services.
In a spirit of collaboration, the consortium also held a debrief session with Homa Bay County officials, led by the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health Roseline Omollo. The session identified key areas for partnership and highlighted the county’s commitment to strengthening maternal health services.
Speaking during the session, Roseline Omollo noted that “Improving maternal health is at the heart of the county’s agenda. We are happy that this  collaboration through the C-it DU-it Study is going to help us identify gaps, strengthen our systems, and ensure that mothers receive the care they need and deserve,”
The C-it DU-it Study, funded by NIHR through the  Government of the United Kingdom, is a four-year initiative working in selected facilities across Homa Bay County. Its innovative approach centered on “seeing” linked data (C-it) and “doing” or acting on that data (DU-it) hopes to improve decision-making and responsiveness at both community and facility levels.
By enhancing community health systems and integrating services more effectively, the study seeks to strengthen community health systems by enhancing community and facility health components to improve Antenatal Care (ANC) outcomes by focusing on data quality from the community, so as to achieve the recommended eight ANC visits.
Together, LVCT Health and partners are laying the foundation for healthier communities, resilient health systems, and a brighter future for mothers and families in Homa Bay and beyond.
