Doctors did not resign, says Garissa governor Nathif Jama
Garissa county governor Nathif Jama (R) hands over an ambulance to Mbalambala subcounty medical officer Mohamud Hassan (L). Looking on is Muktar Bulale, county executive for health, water and sanitation. PHOTO | ABDIMALIK HAJIR | FILE
What you need to know:
- Secretary General of the Health Workers Union, Sultan Matendechero, warned Kenyans to prepare for tough times ahead as more and more doctors and nurses will continue resigning
- However, Mr Nathif said the county was working hard to attract and retain all its medical personnel by offering them attractive incentives
Garissa county governor Nathif Jama has dismissed media reports which warned of a looming crisis in the county’s health sector following the resignation of more than 10 doctors, leaving patients lives hanging in the balance.
Speaking at the Garissa County Referral Hospital, Mr Nathif rubbished those claims terming them as ‘malicious’ saying that so far no single doctor or nurse had resigned.
He instead said his county administration was one of the few in the country which was paying its medical staff on time and addressing other issues affecting them.
Earlier in the week, reports had emerged mentioning Garissa alongside Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Kitui, Kisii, Meru and Busia as some of the county’s most affected by mass resignations of doctors citing frustrations from county government health administrators. (READ: Medics resign in droves amid claims of poor management)
Speaking on Thursday, the Secretary General of the Health Workers Union, Sultan Matendechero, warned Kenyans to prepare for tough times ahead as more and more doctors and nurses will continue resigning.
However, Mr Nathif said the county was working hard to attract and retain all its medical personnel by offering them attractive incentives and eliminating bottlenecks which stood in their way of work.
He revealed that the county was in the process of finalizing the hiring of an additional 253 medical staff to be deployed across health facilities all over the county from next weekend.
During the occasion, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) donated state of the art medical equipment worth Sh150 million to the Garissa County Referral Hospital making it the first public hospital in the country to have digital imaging and diagnostic equipment only found in top private hospitals.
Speaking during the occasion, TIKA president Dr Serdar Cam said the donation was meant to boost the cooperation and brotherhood of the people of Turkey and Kenya. He added that the agency was also intent on strengthening the capacity of the Garissa county government in other areas like water and solid waste management.
