Also hired are 35 medical officers (doctors), 50 clinical officers, 10 pharmacists, 20 pharmaceutical technologists, 20 lab technicians and 10 radiographers/CFM NEWS
MACHAKOS, Kenya, Apr 7 – Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has unveiled radical measures that will see the improvement of health care services in all hospitals in the county through the hiring of 800 nurses and other key staff.
Mutua said the immediate hiring of health personnel by the County Public Service Board will ensure minimum allowable operating standards in all hospitals and health centres.
Also hired are 35 medical officers (doctors), 50 clinical officers, 10 pharmacists, 20 pharmaceutical technologists, 20 lab technicians and 10 radiographers.
The county hired specialist officers who include one anaesthetist, two ENT specialists, one psychiatrist, one dermatologist and one general surgeon.
The county will also hire 80 subordinate staff in the radical measures to improve services in hospitals.
The measures will also include the purchase of adequate essential drugs and equipment.
“This is just the beginning of a Maendeleo Chap Chap paradigm shift that provides our people with quality health care comparable to that in developed countries,” said Mutua.
Mutua who chaired a crisis meeting in his office to address challenges facing the quality provision of health services his key goal was to ensure that the county achieves international healthcare standards where preservation of life is paramount.
“Today will be recorded as the day health care provision changed forever in Machakos County for the benefit of our residents and visitors,” said Mutua.
The meeting, attended by various ministers, members of the County Public Service Board and top health care personnel in the county discussed what needs to be done to make Machakos County the premier healthcare region in Kenya.
“To me, life is sacred and proper treatment a right of every person. Lack of proper management, lethargy and equipment can and has led to deaths in many hospitals in our county,” said Mutua.
He said improvement in health care will only be achieved by action and not just endless planning and talking.
Mutua said as part one of the strategy to improve services in hospitals, there will also be immediate purchase of life saving and very necessary equipment for health facilities especially all Level 4 hospitals and the Level 5 Machakos Hospital.
“We shall also set up a functioning pharmacy system that tracks availability of medicines and consumables like gloves, needles and bandages. The system should also allow immediate transfer and sharing of medicines among health facilities in the county when needs arises,” said Mutua.
He said Machakos will continue to purchase medicines from the government authorized organisations like KEMSA and MEDS and pay two months in advance such that we always have a surplus and credit.
“The purchase of drugs and consumables from other providers is to be phased out completely. There should never be any shortage of drugs in any Machakos health facility,” said Mutua.
He said doctors and clinical officers will henceforth, not prescribe medicines that are not stocked by the county hospital pharmacies.
He said no patient, will be asked to seek x-ray services from outside Machakos hospitals.
“From next week, when the labs are fully equipped with re-agents, no patient will be asked to seek lab services from outside the hospital,” said Mutua.
He also ordered the immediate face-lifts of all our 29 health centres, five major hospitals and dispensaries to provide clean, quality and affordable services.
Nurses and other health workers serving in the county on contract will be automatically included in the employment list while other health workers such as dentists will be redeployed to ensure proper county coverage.
The Public Service Board will commence the immediate recruitment of CEOs and senior managers for the County hospitals. The management of each hospital will be to international standards.
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