Implementation and Evaluation of an mOral Health Training Program for Community Health Workers in Kenya

Authors: Nithya Puttige Ramesh

There aren’t enough oral health professionals in many places, especially in Africa. To help fix this, a new mobile oral health course was created for Community Health Workers (CHWs) by Harvard and WHO-AFRO. This study looked at how well the course worked when tested in Kenya and other parts of the world. Nearly 6,000 people enrolled, and over 2,400 completed the course. Most said it was useful and relevant to their work. In Kenya, over 1,200 CHWs and 39 trainers took part in the pilot. CHWs said the training improved their knowledge and confidence in promoting oral health. The online format, good course design, and peer support helped the program succeed. However, there were challenges like poor internet access, lack of funding, and weak referral systems. The study shows that digital training can help CHWs provide oral health care in underserved areas, but better support and planning are needed to expand the program to more countries.