Government allows 4 counties to hire additional health workers for the sake of Uhuru’s big 4 agenda

Four counties have been allowed to hire additional health workers to handle piloting of Universal Healthcare coverage.

The Ministry of Health said facilities in Kisumu, Nyeri, Machakos and Isiolo are stretched because patients have increased by as much as 40 per cent.

“Some of the counties have recruited additional personnel, while others are at various stages of recruitment. The additional staff will be catered for from the allocations to the health budget,” Health CS Sicily Kariuki said.

The total number of additional workers has not been determined. However, the ministry said it has trained more than 7,800 community health volunteers to support the pilot.

Kariuki said 1.6 million residents of the four counties have registered for the Afya card, which enables them to access free services. Kisumu has 400,000 people with the Afya card, Machakos 519,600, Nyeri 518,009 and Isiolo 115,432.

She said registration for the cards is ongoing in all health centres, dispensaries, schools and churches. “To register for the UHC card people need either an identification card, birth certificate or a letter from the chief. Registration does not attract any payment of a premium fee,” Kariuki said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta signs the Universal Health Coverage charter during the launch of the UHC pilot programme at Mamboleo Showground, Kisumu, last year /PSCU

UHC pilot was launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta in December last year and will be rolled out to the entire country by the end of this year.

The ministry carries out continuous evaluation and compiles a report every two weeks. The latest evaluation report says all public health facilities in the four counties have received medical supplies worth Sh931 million to last six months.

The pilot has faced challenges including increased workload and poor adherence to the referral system by citizens.

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