HEALTH FACILITY AND HUMANRESOURCE FACTORS SUPPORTING UPTAKE OF CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING IN KAKAMEGA COUNTY, KENYA

Main objective was to describehealth facility and human resource related factors supporting uptake of cervical cancer screening in Kakamega County.Design; descriptive cross-sectional study adopting quantitative methods. Setting; Kakamega County within 16 community units in 8 sub counties.Sampling;multistage sampling was used to sample 48 community health volunteers and 16 health facilities.Interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data from Community Health Volunteers and the heads of link health facilities.Validity and reliability of questionnaire was ensured through expert review.Analysiswasby use of descriptive statistics. Results;Majority of participants were female (91.7%) aged between 30-50 years (75%), with primary level of education(47%) and had worked for more than five years as Community Health Volunteers (60%). More than 95% ofCommunity Health Volunteers visited clients’ homeson monthly schedule(77%).Regarding cervical cancer screening,60% of Community Health Volunteers agreed that they were involved in referring women for cervical cancer screening.Almost all(92%)of Community Health Volunteers had not been trained on aspects of cervical cancer screening. Further, 94% of Community Health Volunteers confirmed that cervical cancer screening was part of the health education package they discuss with women. Approximately 81% of health facilities were health centers and offeredcervical cancer screening services weekly (75%).Conclusion;Health facilities offer cervical cancer screening adequately. Community Health Volunteers have established network to reach women but lack capacity to sensitize women on cervical cancer screening. Recommendation: Community Health Volunteersshould be empowered to mobilize women for cervical cancer screening.