KENYA – Population Services Kenya (PS Kenya) has appointed Dr. Margaret Njenga as the chief executive officer effective April 1st, 2023, following the transition of Ms. Joyce Wanderi-Maina.
PS Kenya is an NGO working in Kenya for the last 25 years serving low-income populations through social marketing, social behavior change, and service delivery.
Margaret is a public health leader with a Master’s Degree in Public Health (MPH) and 14 years of hands-on experience in health program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
She has diverse experience in managing projects funded by USAID, UNICEF, European Union, Global Fund, CDC, BMGF, DFID, and Australian AID. My thematic areas of expertise include Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health, Malaria Control and elimination, and Health Systems Strengthening.
She is experienced in management of grant budgets, health policy and planning, strategic planning, development of evidence-based strategies and use of technology to implement and measure impact in health programs to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Population Services Kenya (PS Kenya) has been measurably improving the health of Kenyans since 1989.
It addresses the most serious health challenges affecting resource-poor and vulnerable communities in Kenya, including HIV/AIDS, Reproductive Health, Non-Communicable Diseases, and the greatest threats to children under five including Malaria, Diarrhea, Pneumonia and Malnutrition.
PS Kenya conducts pharmacy activations
Last month, PS Kenya through Strengthening HIV Self Testing in the Private Sector (SHIPS) project conducted two rounds of pharmacy activations to increase awareness of HIVST and selfcare products in the private sector.
These exercises were conducted across 56 pharmacies to educate walk-in clients and those around pharmacies on the availability of HIVST kits, how to test, where to get post testing services and interpret test results.
The activations were conducted by trained sale agent/patrons who were positioned at designated pharmacy outlets to explain to clients the importance of testing, different types of HIVST kits available at the pharmacies and accessibility of pre and post HIV testing services.
The participating pharmacies were branded with Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials bearing clear messages on importance of testing. During the activations, the trained sale agents tailored messaging towards social behavior change that aimed at encouraging people to know their HIV.
The trained patrons mobilized clients within the pharmacy and its vicinity to know their HIV status. Those who bought HIVST kits were gifted with project branded t-shirts with messages on importance of HIV self-testing.
Clients reached were also encouraged to purchase other sexual and reproductive health products alongside HIVST kits for a broader public health benefit.
During the two rounds of activations, a total of 1978 people were reached directly and engaged. Interestingly, a total of 265 kits were sold during the activations to clients who might have not been reached with the mainstream health facility-based testing.
This is a clear evidence that periodic pharmacy activations are effective approach to increasing awareness on pharmacies that stock the kits hence creating sustainable demand that increases sales of HIVST.
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