Bungoma County government is set to employ 246 extra health workers next year to help solve under-staffing in public health facilities.
Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka says that plans are complete to have extra health workers employed early next year to bridge the under-staffing gap being experienced currently.
Speaking during the Annual Bungoma County Referral Hospital staff motivational ceremony in Bungoma town on Tuesday, Lusaka underscored the need of employing enough health workers to deal with the rising numbers of patients.
He stated that the advertisement will be placed in the dailies in January 2023 and they are expecting to employ 85 nurses to help reduce overstretching somebody’s services.
“Majority of our facilities are understaffed, we need to employ more health workers to be deployed to health centres and dispensaries across the County,” he said.
Lusaka also stated that all contracted health workers will be absorbed on permanent and pensionable terms while casuals’ workers working period will be extended from three months to one year.
“We will streamline the employment of health workers to bridge the gap and help reduce the workload,” he said.
The County boss also pledged to improve Community Health Volunteers stipend from Sh2, 000 to Sh4, 000 and also provide NHIF cards to them for free as a way of supporting them.
“All the pending promotions must be expedited to pave way for others to take up their roles hence improving on the services,” he said.
He also pledged to construct a mental health unit to cater for the rising cases of mental challenges.
Lusaka affirmed that the rising numbers of mental breakdown arises from financial and economic challenges hence the unit is needed to cater for them.
He stated that the County has already factored in Sh11 million in the supplementary budget for the improvement of the Bungoma morgue.
During the function, Lusaka also officially commissioned the Intensive Care Unit, Eye Unit and Cancer and Palliative Care Unit at Bungoma County Referral Hospital to serve area residents.
County Health and Sanitation CEC Dr. Andrew Wamalwa said that he is working around the clock to decongest Bungoma County Referral Hospital from influx of patients.
“For it to work better, we must empower Sub County Hospitals and make sure they absorb more patients, this will help decongest BCRH,” he said.
Dr. Wamalwa called on all and sundry to support primary healthcare for it to succeed.
“Primary healthcare is the core mandate and for it to succeed it should be supported fully and I am here to ensure it succeeds,” he said.
On promotions, Wamalwa stated that he will fast track promotions of health workers and ensure all pending promotions are dealt with in order to serve their clients better.