The Transforming the Community Health Workforce program is a unique mutual learning exchange between local government in Homabay County in Kenya and Liverpool, UK. Unlike traditional South-to-South collaborations, this initiative fosters South-to-North and North-to-South learning, enabling both regions to share knowledge and best practices. The exchange is jointly hosted by Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and LVCT Health, a non-governmental organisation in Kenya.
Homa Bay County has a well-established community health program, while Liverpool has a long-standing Primary Care Network (PCN). As Kenya works to implement PCNs and Liverpool seeks to enhance its community health programs, this exchange provides a valuable opportunity to learn from each other’s successes and challenges.
The program pairs six professionals at different levels—from public health consultants to clinicians, community health leads, youth advocates, and those working with vulnerable groups—to create change-maker pairs. These individuals shadow one another, experiencing community engagement and healthcare delivery in a real-world setting rather than a classroom environment.
Insights Gained from Liverpool
During their visit to Liverpool, the Kenyan participants observed key aspects of the UK health system, including structured workforce planning and the integration of sports and arts into healthcare outreach. They saw firsthand how these strategies help engage young people and promote well-being. One participant reflected, “I just want to borrow these lessons and take them back home to implement with my team.”
Lessons from Kenya
Liverpool professionals visiting Kenya were deeply inspired by the country’s strong community engagement model, where community health workers play a vital role in mobilization and advocacy. Seeing these practices in action reinforced the importance of incorporating community feedback into healthcare services. As one participant noted, “Hearing about community health is one thing—seeing it in real life is completely different.”
The exchange also highlighted the shared vision between the two regions. One participant observed, “The dream of the Primary Care Network in Kenya is exactly what is happening in England. Every citizen should know where to go when they are sick.”
Building Sustainable Partnerships
Both teams left the exchange with a commitment to integrating their learnings into their healthcare strategies and systems. The shadowing experience was particularly impactful, with one participant describing it as “fantastic because it was so organic. We weren’t in a classroom; we were out in the field, truly experiencing each other’s work.”
Beyond this exchange, there is growing interest in future collaborations. Discussions are already underway to explore new projects and further embed these insights into Liverpool’s healthcare framework. “This is just the beginning,” one participant emphasized.
Through this initiative, the Liverpool-Homa Bay partnership has demonstrated the power of mutual learning in strengthening global health systems. By sharing experiences, adapting best practices, and fostering lasting relationships, both regions are taking meaningful steps toward improving healthcare delivery at community level.
The exchange program between the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and Homabay County in Kenya is a mutual exchange of community health professionals. The program is part of the UKAid funded THET Global Health Workforce Programme.