West Pokot County Government has recruited 346 healthcare workers across 39 various cadres to address the existing shortage of healthcare workers and improve service delivery in the health sector.
When meeting the new 346 healthcare workers, West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin said the employment of more staff, aims to bolster the workforce, especially in areas with significant healthcare deficits.
The Governor disclosed that eleven medical officers, five pharmacists, one clinical psychologist, five health records and information officers, six medical laboratorists, five nursing officers, and 17 registered clinical officers are among the newly hired staff.
‘‘The new staff will manage the various cadres within the Ministry of Health department at the county level,’’ Kachapin said.
‘‘To ensure these facilities operate efficiently and provide quality care, it’s crucial to have the right staffing levels. Given that staffing costs constitute over 35 percent of the county’s annual budget, a strategic approach to workforce planning is essential,’’ he said.
He mentioned that Vision 2030 emphasizes health issues and the goal for the country to achieve universal health coverage.
The governor stressed that the government places great importance on health matters to ensure healthcare services are accessible and affordable to all citizens.
‘‘Human resources in healthcare are very important, which led the county government to consider employing more staff to effectively run healthcare services,’’ he said.
He explained that a mother giving birth at home and unable to find assistance may face antenatal and postnatal challenges. ‘‘Many health-related cases reported in rural areas are due to a lack of healthcare officers to address issues at the village level. This prompted the county government to employ healthcare staff to address the challenges faced by patients seeking care in their villages and homes,’’ he said.
The Governor thanked the county public service board for their role in recruitment, recognizing their good work.
‘‘I have received positive feedback about the recruitment process, and I want to urge anyone who paid money to secure a job but did not get employed to contact me so that the matter can be addressed. I do not condone corruption in recruitment, as it denies the right person a chance to be employed and allows the wrong person to get a job,’’ he said.
Kachapin stated that his administration upholds fairness and transparency in employment and urged the newly employed staff to work diligently, with dedication and passion.
He encouraged the new staff to consider working in hard-reach areas, stressing that all parts of the county should be treated equally and that access to healthcare should not be biased.
‘‘Those who were not employed should remain hopeful for future opportunities, either through new recruitment or replacements. They can also volunteer in private or public health facilities while waiting for the next job advertisement,’’ the Governor said.
He commended the government’s training of many medics, some of whom have secured jobs abroad, noting the country has substantial human resources.
Kachapin urged residents to stop petty politics that hinder development projects and employment opportunities for youth.
He stated that petty politics brings wrangles that threaten to derail development initiatives. ‘‘It is disheartening to see leaders touring the county, engaging in petty politics about what the administration has done for development. I urge the residents not to listen to politicians whose only agenda is politicking, rather than delivering on promises,’’ Governor Kachapin noted.
In her remarks, West Pokot County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health and Sanitation, Claire Parklea urged the newly employed staff to actively promote awareness on healthcare matters and accelerate the registration of members of the public on SHA.
She noted that registering residents for SHA would help ensure social protection, increase primary healthcare funding for the county from the national government, and support a sustainable healthcare financing strategy.
She mentioned that in terms of SHA registration, West Pokot has been ranked in the bottom five but assured that the county would surpass 50 percent registration across the country.
Parklea called on healthcare workers to raise awareness and promote household registration for SHA, emphasizing the importance of understanding the benefits of accessible and affordable healthcare services.
She announced that the county will utilize the Beyond Zero clinic programme during the SHA registration on the market days across the county.
She disclosed that during the registration of the SHA process and through the Beyond Zero programme, efforts will be made to promote maternal, newborn, and child health, along with other health services.
The county executive stated that new employees would be assigned duties immediately, urging them to take their work seriously, remain diligent, and work with dedication.
‘‘Those unwilling to work will be replaced,” she warned.
Richard Micha, a resident praised the governor for creating employment opportunities for youths in desperate need of work, noting it was his first time seeing the county government create such a large number of jobs in the Health department.
Pius Kipyego Tanui, a new employee in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics from Siyoi Ward expressed his excitement and happiness about the appointment, thanking the West Pokot County government for employing over 300 staff at once.
He remarked that for many years, West Pokot has been marginalized and with the mass recruitment, service delivery to the people would improve.
He assured of working diligently to provide quality services, emphasizing that health sector improvements in West Pokot are now poised to reach new heights.
Tanui urged the people of West Pokot to expect better healthcare services from them and
expressed gratitude to the governor and the County Assembly for allocating funds for the employment of new staff.
By Anthony Melly
