This is a department within the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, which was established to enhance health promotion activities for the country.

The department has three divisions:

1. Health communication and social marketing
2. Policy advocacy and strategic alliance
3. Setting programs

It is charged with the role of implementing comprehensive health promotion activities as an essential cross cutting component of all health programs.

The operations of the department are implemented through a central coordinating office in Nairobi. Serving Health Promotion officers have been deployed in various programs/divisions and in the districts country wide

Vision

A nation of healthy people living in an environment free from preventable diseases.

Mission

To empower individuals and communities to take greater control of their health and its determinants, and foster actions that enhance physical, social and emotional well-being of the people and contribute to the prevention of leading causes of disease, disability and death.

Functions of the Department

• Coordination of communication needs of the different departments of the Ministry and other partners.
• Development of advocacy and thematic campaigns tied to ongoing improvements taking place in the ministry in support of key policies, strategies, programmes and to reinforce key ministry decisions.
• Strengthening the capacity of health care professionals to plan and implement communication programmes.
• Designing, development and dissemination of IEC materials for creating public awareness and demand for individuals and communities to use public health services as per the health charter.
• Set standards and quality assurance system for development of health communication materials.
• Undertake relevant research to inform development of health promotion programmes and public awareness campaigns.
• Monitoring and evaluation of health promotion intervention.

OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT

1. To promote adoption of health promotive and disease preventive behaviours at all levels.
2. To coordinate and support the development, production and dissemination of specific programme messages.
3. To create demand for and enhance utilization of health services.
4. To collaborate with stakeholders and facilitate the implementation of and health promotion programmes.
5. To support, through advocacy and other strategies efforts to influence legislation, policies and regulations that promote health and enhance quality of life.
6. To advocate, coordinate and facilitate migrant health services.
7. To promote and protect all in Kenya from preventable causes of ill health.
8. To build capacity for the ministry in order to achieve its mandate.

ACTIVITIES

Past Activities

1. Malezi Bora IEC material designing and development
2. Avian Flu Communication Strategy developed
3.  Coordination of World Health day commemoration

Upcoming Activities

1. Male Circumcision Strategy
2. National Health Promotion Strategy
3. National Health Communication strategy
4. Rural health III Communication strategy to guide development of appropriate IEC materials for 7 selected districts
5. Building the capacity of Health Promotion Officers on Management, research, ICT and social mobilization.