The Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) has officially handed over health assets and programme responsibilities to the West Pokot County Government, marking a new phase in the longstanding partnership aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery and county ownership of health programmes.

The handover ceremony held at the Governor’s residence in Kapenguria, saw AMPATH transfer digital health infrastructure, computers, internet accessories and other equipment to the county, with Governor Simon Kachapin assuring the organisation that the assets would be properly managed and put to maximum use.

Governor Kachapin said the occasion represented more than the transfer of equipment, describing it as an important transition towards greater county ownership and sustainability of health services.

“Today’s handover represents more than the transfer of equipment and other assets. It represents a transition towards greater ownership and sustainability of health services by the County Government,” Kachapin said.

He expressed appreciation to AMPATH for its support to West Pokot over the years, particularly in strengthening HIV, tuberculosis and specimen referral programmes, saying the interventions had contributed significantly to improved access to essential healthcare services.

The Governor assured AMPATH and other development partners that the county had the systems, capacity and committed workforce required to assume the responsibilities associated with the assets and programmes.

“West Pokot County has the capacity, systems and committed health workforce to take up these responsibilities and ensure that the assets entrusted to us are properly managed, maintained and put to maximum use for the benefit of our people,” he said.

AMPATH Executive Director for Care Programmes and Chief of Party of the USAID-funded AMPATH Uzima programme, Prof. Sylvester Kimaiyo, said the organisation’s partnership with West Pokot dates back to 2006, building on HIV services established at the then Kapenguria District Hospital in 2005.

He said the partnership had since evolved beyond HIV treatment to encompass HIV testing, prevention of mother-to-child transmission, community-based services, health-worker capacity building, commodities and supply-chain strengthening, health education and referral-system development.

Kimaiyo said AMPATH supported the county in 2019 to develop a business plan for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, with the programme expanding its reach significantly over the years.

According to Kimaiyo, HIV services in the county have recorded notable progress, with the mother-to-child transmission rate declining from 15 per cent in 2020 to 11 per cent in 2021 and further to 7.8 per cent in 2026, against the national target of five per cent or below.

AMPATH Uzima currently supports HIV testing and prevention services in 32 health facilities, while 17 facilities provide comprehensive antiretroviral therapy (ART) care and treatment.

A total of 4,760 clients are currently receiving ART in the county, comprising 4,284 adults, 290 adolescents and young people and 186 children.

Kimaiyo said the programme had also recorded a 92 per cent viral-load suppression rate and 89 per cent viral-load uptake, indicating continued progress in HIV treatment monitoring and care.

The partnership has also contributed to the digitisation of health services, with facilities using the AMPATH Medical Record System (AMRS) and KenyaEMR to strengthen documentation, monitoring and delivery of HIV services.

Kimaiyo said the county was also preparing to leverage TaifaCare powered by AMRS, a hospital-wide digital health system designed to integrate registration, triage, consultation, diagnostics, pharmacy, maternal and child health and specialised clinics into a more connected workflow.

He further highlighted Kacheliba Sub-County Hospital’s role as a Centre of Excellence for HIV and non-communicable diseases, including hypertension, diabetes and mental health.

As of August 2026, the facility was providing care to 129 patients with hypertension, 99 patients with diabetes and 53 clients receiving mental health services.

The assets officially handed over were valued at about KSh16.4 million, according to AMPATH, and included HP all-in-one desktop computers, APC Smart UPS units, universal UPS equipment and TP-Link wireless routers.

Other AMPATH-supported assets already deployed at facilities include computers, laptops, printers, tablets, video-conferencing equipment, televisions, furniture, medical equipment and solar equipment.

County Executive Committee Member for Health Claire Parklea said AMPATH had made a significant contribution to the wellbeing of West Pokot residents through its longstanding support.

She welcomed the transition of assets and personnel to the county health system, saying the additional expertise would strengthen service delivery.

“The health department is a versatile docket and with more equipment and human resources, more services will be rendered to the community efficiently and effectively,” she said.

Parklea assured AMPATH personnel being integrated into the county system that the health department was ready to welcome them and benefit from their expertise in various fields.

Kimaiyo said the transition comes as Kenya and the United States move towards a Government-to-Government (G2G) model intended to enhance government ownership and leadership of health programmes.

He assured the county that AMPATH would continue supporting West Pokot during the transition to safeguard gains made over the years and strengthen the county health system.

“As we formally hand over these assets today, let us embrace this moment as the opening of a new chapter in a partnership that continues to grow—a partnership grounded in trust, strengthened by shared purpose and driven by innovation,” Kimaiyo said.

The ceremony was attended by county officials, health practitioners, AMPATH representatives, development partners and members of the public.

by Parklea Ivor