By MKT Reporter
Thousands of tea farmers are set to benefit from free medical care.
Through Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Foundation, the farmers will be getting free medical checkups in a bid to have them maintain healthy status as they tend to their farms.
To kick-start the process, yesterday the Foundation launched the exercise in a ceremony attended by hundreds of farmers.
During the exercise, a section of farmers from Nyeri County received a much-needed boost as the Foundation launched a comprehensive medical camp at Wandumbi dispensary near Gathuthi tea factory in Tetu constituency.
The initiative aims to ensure that tea growers who often postpone treatment due to demanding farm schedules have access to timely medical attention.
For many tea farmers, long hours in the fields, unpredictable weather, and the pressure to meet strict production cycles mean that regular medical check-ups are often delayed, sometimes until minor health issues escalate into serious concerns.
The KTDA Foundation’s outreach seeks to change that, placing farmer health and well-being at the center of its operations.
“Our farmers are not statistics. They are families, communities, and the backbone of our economy,” said Catherine Mankura, chairperson of the KTDA Board’s Health and Wellness Committee. She added, “Today, we bring healthcare to those who faithfully bring life to our tea sub-sector.”
Those who attended the camp were offered a range of free services including screenings, consultations, treatment, and health education.
The exercise will be focusing on conditions that are common but often overlooked in rural populations, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, respiratory issues, and musculoskeletal pain resulting from long days spent in the fields.
“This is a great opportunity for us to undergo a medical checkup,” said Ms. Florence Nyambura, a farmer affiliated with Gathuthi Tea Factory.
“We are always busy attending to our tea plantations and we often forget to seek medical attention or frequent medical checkups. We thank KTDA for this noble initiative.”
Farmers noted that the distance and cost are significant barriers to accessing healthcare and commended the KTDA Foundation for the initiative.
By bringing services directly to the farmers, KTDA ensures that these obstacles are removed, making it easier for them to prioritize their health.
The medical camp is part of a broader shift in KTDA’s strategy, which now places farmer health and dignity on par with production goals. “Good health is the foundation of productivity. Early detection saves lives; prevention saves families,” Ms. Mankura emphasized.
She noted that the move reflects KTDA’s sharpened strategic focus on placing farmers at the centre of every decision, guided by the Board’s Health and Wellness Committee under the rallying mantra: Farmer First, Leaving No Farmer Behind.
Ms Mankura reaffirmed the organisation’s responsibility to advance farmers’ welfare beyond the factory floor saying, “Leadership is service. Our farmers are not statistics. They are families, communities, and the backbone of our economy. Today we bring healthcare to those who faithfully bring life to our tea sub-sector.”
The Foundation will be carrying out the exercise under the tagline, “Your Health Is Your Greatest Wealth: And When Farmers Thrive, Communities Thrive”
KTDA leaders announced that this is the first of several health initiatives planned across tea-growing regions, aimed at strengthening community health systems and improving the quality of life for farmers.
More medical camps and wellness programmes are expected in the coming months, offering services that extend beyond treatment to include health education and preventive care.
As the camp officially opened, KTDA expressed confidence that the initiative would restore strength, knowledge, and peace of mind to thousands of growers who sustain Kenya’s tea industry, keeping it globally competitive.
By prioritizing farmer welfare, the Foundation demonstrates that the success of the nation’s tea sector is inseparable from the health and well-being of the people who make it thrive.
Gathuthi Tea Factory leadership led by chairman Hosea Kimamo commended the initiative saying it will greatly help the farmers.
John Kariuki