Ministry says doctor movement is normal

The Health ministry on Thursday downplayed the movement of doctors from county governments.

Principal Secretary Fred Segor said the movement was similar to those in any other sector and county governments should employ more doctors to replace the “few that have moved”.

Prof Segor was speaking during the Cabinet Secretaries briefing to the media at Harambee House in Nairobi.

He said the country needed to train more doctors and that his ministry would increase funding for this from Sh70 million to Sh400 million in next financial year.

He said the government was also equipping all public health centres to curb the exodus of staff.

Prof Segor said visits to public dispensaries and health centres has increased from 12 million per year to 18 million after the government waived the Sh10 and Sh20 fees.

He said the government would also build health centres in informal settlements at a cost of Sh200 million.

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru said the government is committed to decentralisation and that was why it had transferred functions.

She said there was no ill motive in not attending the governors’ meeting in Kwale as it was for their own self-appraisal.

“They held such a meeting before and we didn’t go but it was not an issue,” she said.

Labour PS Ali Noor said his ministry helped 13,700 people get jobs in the past year while Science and Technology PS Colletta Suda said her ministry planned to train one million artisans.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario said plans were in place to establish a film school next year while five new stadiums will be built in next financial year.