Community-led Structures can play a key role in managing the spread of #coronavirus in Kenya
The Nyumba Kumi Initiative was introduced in the Kenya community policing cycle by the presidential order of the President of the Republic of Kenya, gazetted in 2013. Its aim was to anchor community policing at the household level, with a specific physical address, in order to achieve safe and sustainable neighborhoods. While the initiative has achieved varying levels of success in different contexts, it has mostly been applied for security purposes. However, it carries immense potential for application in other aspects of social life.
The Nyumba Kumi initiative can play a role in enforcing community-led compliance with certain behaviors that can contribute to achieving desired citizen responsibility. In the wake of pandemics like COVID-19, which call for all stakeholders to play a part in stopping the spread of the virus in public spaces, the initiative can extend its impact by being utilized in other sectors at the community level. Having a legal mandate gives it the much-needed legitimacy and facilitates its augmentation within the existing government apparatus at both the county and national government levels.
Furthermore, the Nyumba Kumi initiative can incorporate and coordinate with the Community Health Volunteers (CHVs), who have been major players in the implementation of primary healthcare in Kenyan counties. CHVs continue to play a critical role in mobilizing communities to take care of their health and provide basic healthcare at the community level. To strengthen the surveillance systems and approaches at the county level, we propose that CHVs be incorporated into the surveillance pathways to monitor potential and symptomatic cases at the community level and refer them for appropriate measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This will ensure a bottom-up approach that ensures thorough surveillance and monitoring of potential cases. CHVs possess a wealth of knowledge, networks, and skills to engage at the community level and could also play a key role in sensitizing communities through Behavior Change Communication around best practices to curb the spread of COVID-19. There is a significant opportunity for CHVs to interface with other community structures such as the Community Policing Communities (Nyumba Kumi) to further enhance a comprehensive approach to surveillance, monitoring, and reporting at the community level. This will be key in aligning approaches and optimizing the use of available human resources while coordinating key messages to encourage positive behavior and protect the population.
As counties are also implementing coordination and response mechanisms to contain the spread of COVID-19, the importance of building on pre-existing structures cannot be overlooked. A concerted effort from all stakeholders is needed to put together a formidable front against the pandemic, especially with the curfew announced to start this week, which is expected to further manage human interaction and movement and slow down transmission rates.
While the public is still being sensitized on the need and importance of practicing social isolation, it is important to note that in some sections of the community, a collective effort is needed to ensure adherence to the government’s guidelines. The Nyumba Kumi initiative can offer a mechanism at the ward level that fits into the reporting pathway for sub-county and county administrators, all the way to higher levels, to address this issue.
The COVID-19 pandemic provides policymakers with a unique opportunity to revisit existing initiatives and refocus them to solve immediate challenges and build resilience for the future against a wide spectrum of potential challenges. This is perhaps the silver lining in this difficult situation, as it brings us back to the decision-making table to rethink and refocus the way we approach life.
