The Public Service Commission has rolled out 5,400 job adverts for health workers according to Deputy President William Ruto. Speaking during a press briefing in Karen, Deputy President William Ruto said the number of health workers will be boosted as Kenya seeks to tackle and contain the spread of the Covid-19. He said an additional 1,000 doctors will be recruited with the adverts to be put up this week, “The reason why we are recruiting additional staff is because it’s necessary for us to enhance our capacity to manage this pandemic since when we roll out mass testing people infected with he Covid-19 will go up so it’s necessary for us to increase capacity,” said DP Ruto.
He revealed that the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is working with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa Centre for Disease Protection and Control (CDC) to develop mass testing kits, with the mass testing exercise set to be rolled out in a few weeks. “The Ministry will communicate as and when the kits are ready so we roll out the big exercise of mass testing,” he said. He noted that testing is still limited at the moment and once rolled out, testing will be done throughout the country and the Counties.
Noting the role health workers are playing during the Covid-19 pandemic, DP Ruto said Personal Protective Equipment is being made for health workers and local manufacturing capacity has been identified and contracted to ensure there is an adequate supply. He has urged Kenyans to observe protocols set by the Ministry of Health so as not to burden the health workers.