Mandera County to hire temporary clinical officers and nurses as nationwide strike continues

Empty beds at the Mandera County Referral Hospital on December 6, 2016 after health workers went on strike. The county government has now resolved to hire clinical officers and nurses on a temporary basis as it seeks to restore services affected by the ongoing strike. PHOTO | MANASE OTSIALO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The county says a majority of its population lives in poverty and cannot afford high medical fees charged in private hospitals.
  • Those interested have been asked to submit their applications or register with the referral hospital’s administration starting Thursday.
  • Mandera is among counties without missionary-run hospitals.
  • Private hospitals in the region cannot manage critical emergencies.

The Mandera County government is hiring clinical officers and nurses on a temporary basis as it seeks to restore services affected by the ongoing countrywide strike by medical workers.

An advertisement at the Mandera County Referral Hospital says the health workers will be paid Sh1,000 per shift.

County Health Chief Officer Mariam Dubow confirmed the temporary job advertisement saying it is a precautionary measure to save lives.

“We are in a crisis at the referral hospital that needs immediate interventions because most departments are not functioning due to the strike,” she said.

In the advert, the county says a majority of its population lives in poverty and cannot afford high medical fees charged in private hospitals.

“We are looking for competent registered nurses to offer emergency services so as to save lives to engage them on locum basis of Sh1,000 per a shift,” said Ms Dubow.

OFFER CRITICAL SERVICES

Those interested have been asked to submit their applications or register with the referral hospital’s administration starting Thursday.

“We want to continue offering critical services at the referral hospital unlike now that most departments have closed down,” said Ms Dubow.

She said the six sub-county hospitals in Mandera are operational except the referral that needs emergency plans to continue functioning.

“We offer more services at the referral hospital and we don’t want our patients to continue suffering because we don’t know when the strike will end,” she said.

Mandera is among counties without missionary-run hospitals and the private hospitals in the region cannot manage critical emergencies.

“We are getting referrals from the private facilities around, mostly for operations in the theatre but we lack staff,” she said.

The nurses and clinicians to be engaged on temporary basis will be deployed to maternity, theatre, outpatient department and in the wards.

“We have recorded no deaths resulting from the strike but people need medical care and this why we are doing this,” said Ms Dubow.