Turkana reviews county social behaviour change strategy to boost early child health. Lokichoggio - March 10, 2026 (Public Communications and Media Relations) The County Government, in collaboration with Amref Health Africa through the Tucheze Tustawi Project, supported by the Lego foundation, convened a three-day workshop to review the Turkana County Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) Strategy (2026-2030), incorporating the ten Nurturing Care for early childhood development package of interventions (NCfECD). The county strategy aims to strengthen community behaviours that support maternal, newborn, and child health while promoting holistic early childhood development, particularly brain development between zero and three years. This is by focusing on the five key NCfECD components including good health, good nutrition, responsive caregiving, safety and security, and opportunities for early learning. Health experts emphasize that early childhood is a critical period for brain development especially in the first three years of life. Therefore, this strategy is meant to integrate play-based interventions at the household, community, and health facilities level. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends zero screen time for children under two years and less than one hour per day for children aged two to four to support healthy brain development. WHO further notes that children learn best through play, human interaction, and exploration rather than passive screen exposure during this period. A UNICEF study on early childhood development also shows that early brain development depends heavily on interaction with caregivers. Excessive screen exposure can reduce opportunities for the social engagement children need to develop language and emotional skills. There are five key developmental domains used in Care for Child Development (CCD) and nurturing care approaches: cognitive, motor, language and communication, social and emotional, and sensory development. These areas can be negatively affected when infants are exposed excessively to screens. Once finalized, the new plan will become Turkana's third SBCC strategy and will be informed by lessons learned from the shortcomings of previous strategies - the Turkana SBCC Strategy (2017-2022) and the Danida Transcend-funded SBCC Strategy (2024-2027) implemented in Turkana West. The Deputy Director for Family Health, Lopodo Gabriel, revealed that according to the County 2025 Reproductive and Maternal Health Performance Report- KHIS, out of the targeted 49,284 expected pregnancies, only 41,432 mothers (86.6%) attended their first antenatal care (ANC) visit. By the fourth ANC visit, the numbers had dropped significantly to 23,439 (47.6%). He noted that these trends highlight persistent challenges affecting reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) outcomes, including gaps in health awareness and quality of care. He emphasized the new strategy will address these by strengthening community awareness, promoting positive health-seeking behaviours, and guiding caregivers and health workers on timely antenatal care and improved early childhood care. "Behaviour change is at the heart of improving maternal and child health outcomes. This strategy will help us move beyond isolated interventions and adopt a coordinated approach. It will empower families with the knowledge and support they need to give every infant in Turkana the best start in life," he said. Beyond reflection on past strategies, the workshop also provided an opportunity to strengthen the upcoming plan by incorporating key pillars of the Nurturing Care Framework, including safety and security, responsive caregiving, and opportunities for early learning. Reinhard Anzeze, Child Health Technical Officer at Amref Tucheze Tustawi, called on participants to be deliberate in integrating play-based interventions as a routine activity across different delivery channels. He emphasized that messaging should provide a clear call to action while utilising the Nurturing Care Framework to promote holistic child development. "Through Tucheze Tustawi, we are demonstrating that play, caregiving, and early learning are essential foundations for healthy development. This strategy ensures that nurturing care becomes part of everyday life for families and communities in Turkana," he said. The County Health Promotions Lead, Ruth Areman, noted that effective communication goes beyond simply sharing information. She urged the team to adhere to the seven Cs in developing persuasive and impactful messaging. "Effective communication is not just about sharing information; it is about transforming attitudes and behaviours. By strengthening our SBCC approach and integrating nurturing care, we are building stronger connections between health services, communities, and caregivers," she said. According to Dr. Fatuma Rajab, the County Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health Coordinator, the number of children with neurodevelopmental conditions, including virtual autism spectrum disorder, has increased over the years, a trend she linked to early and excessive screen exposure among children below three years due to limited caregiver awareness. She noted that the new strategy will play an important role in guiding caregivers on how best to support them. The forum brought together county and sub-county representatives from One Health, social protection, health promotion, public health, early childhood development, WASH, nutrition, EPI, family health, community health services, M&E, and community focal persons from Turkana West and Lokichoggio sub-counties. Representatives from Amref Health Africa's programmes - Imarisha Jamii and Transcend (Danida), alongside community-based organizations such as ACME and the Kalobeyei Initiative for Better Life. The broad participation ensured that the strategy benefits from diverse expertise and remains practical, responsive, and aligned with Turkana County's current priorities in health, early childhood education, and social protection. The next steps include the contextualisation of the strategy document, review by SBCC experts and stakeholders, final approval and launch of the strategy document for implementation. Story by Esther Mwangi- Assistant Director, Public Communications and Media Relations

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