The Ministry of Health will soon employ 5,000 health workers of all cadre to help in the implementation of Universal Health Care, Acting Ministry of Health Director-General John Wekesa has said.
Speaking during the Moi Teaching and Referral College of Health Sciences graduation ceremony on Friday, Wekesa said the move will ensure Kenyans can easily access quality, basic, sustainable and relevant health services without incurring financial burden.
“The Ministry of Health is planning to employ 5,700 health workers across the country which shall be done by county governments and a conditional grant from the Ministry,” he said.
“The Ministry is also working with the public service to create 5,000 vacancies for internships for all cadres. This will provide opportunities for our young colleagues to acquire the requisite skills,” he added.
He said currently, the ratio of health workers to patients in Kenya is 10:10,000 instead of 17:10,000.
Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) CEO Dr Wilson Aruasa said it is training experts whose skills are shaping the new approach of healthcare in the entire country.
He further noted that the approaches in health today are strategic interventions, adding that medical personnel can only reach more needy people by taking services to them.
He called on the graduands to have a big heart in all they do, stating that employers not only look for technical skills, but also soft skills of humanness.