Marsabit County to hire health staff for 10 new hospitals
A nurse attends to a patient at Marsabit County Referral Hospital on December 6, 2016. The Marsabit County government is hiring new health workers to curb shortage of staff in 10 new hospitals. PHOTO | KEN BETT | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Labarakwe said the new staff will be hired after the county’s supplementary budget is passed.
- He said the county government in collaboration with Kemsa will provide food aid to victims of malnutrition.
- The county has been hit hard by drought.
The Marsabit County government is recruiting new health workers to curb the shortage of staff being experienced in new hospitals.
County Health Chief Officer Stephen Labarakwe told Nation.co.ke on Friday that more than 10 new hospitals have enough medical supplies but no health workers.
Health centres without personnel are Dabel, Shegel, Bagas and Qorqa dispensaries.
According to Mr Labarakwe, the new staff will be hired after the county’s supplementary budget is passed.
“The medical officers in the county hospital and other hospitals will be deployed in shifts to serve in these centres at least twice a week.
“In the meantime, the county government will be recruiting [staff] to fill the positions,” said Mr Labarakwe.
“This year’s budget had already been [finalised] and we could not go back to include new health workers.
“However, I will see to it that we recruit at least one nurse and a [clinical officer] for each dispensary in three months’ time,” he added.
The official said the county government in collaboration with Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa) will provide food aid to victims of malnutrition.
The county has been hit hard by drought.
“All those affected by the drought, especially pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children should reach the nearest facilities to get supplements that have been supplied by Kemsa,” he added.
