Marsabit entices students to pursue medical courses with Sh30m fund

Surgeons operate on a child at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret town on July 19, 2016. Marsabit County has established a fund to entice local students to pursue medical courses to deal with a severe shortage of health workers in the county. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • County health executive said they have been struggling to attract doctors from other counties.
  • He said county has a shortage of nurses, anaesthetists, medical doctors and radiographers among other health workers.
  • Marsabit governor Ukur Yattani urged the youth to focus on medical courses because they were in high demand in the county.

Marsabit County government has set aside a Sh30 million education fund to support local students pursuing medical courses.

Speaking to Nation on phone, Marsabit health executive Stephen Labarakwe said the fund is meant to increase the number of medical practitioners in the county.

He said the county has been struggling to attract doctors from other parts of the country.

“Marsabit health sector has gaps which we want to fill by sponsoring the youth who wish to further their studies in the heath sector. We are funding the local youth so that they can come back and serve our people,” said Mr Labarakwe.

He said the county has a shortage of nurses, anaesthetists medical doctors and radiographers among other health workers.

Recently, Marsabit governor Ukur Yattani urged the youth to focus on medical courses because they were in high demand in the county.

He said North Horr sub-County, the largest administrative unit in the devolved unit, was the worst hit.

Mr Yattani noted that only four residents of North Horr had applied for 150 positions advertised in the county.

Speaking at the Kalacha sub-County Hospital opening ceremony, Mr Yattani said the county government was importing medical practitioners from other counties while students from the area his county focused on courses like community development.

"We will continue hiring doctors and nurses from Kisii, Meru, Mombasa and other parts of Kenya because our people do not want to go to medical schools,” said Mr Yattani.

By sponsoring medical students, the county hopes to increase the number of local specialists to avoid patients’ referral to other counties for medical assistance.