MoH begins headcount for staff to weed out ghost workers

The Ministry of Health on Thursday began a comprehensive headcount of its staff.

The exercise seeks to realign staff with the recently approved structure by the Public Service Commission.

PS Medical Services Harry Kimtai said the headcount aims to ensure payroll accuracy.

The exercise began this week with the directorate of Medical Services and will be extended to that of Public Health next week.

It also seeks to eliminate discrepancies through certificate verifications, updating records and streamlining divisions and directorates accordingly.

According to PS Medical Services Harry Kimtai, the exercise was initiated after a similar one conducted at Mathari Teaching and Referral Hospital and the Spinal Injury Hospital revealed the existence of ghost workers.

"What we discovered as this exercise was started, we have officers who are in our payroll but working in NGO, we are paying somebody who is being paid somewhere else but us we are shouldering the burden," Kimtai revealed.

"There is an officer who is covering that officer because he is doing their work so we discussed this in the senior management meeting and it was agreed that we do a headcount," Kimtai noted.

PS Kimtai emphasised the need to align staff assignments with the newly established framework, highlighting the importance of technical officers for departmental operations.

The PS raised concern that out of the 1,000 workers at his directorate, some are rarely seen with others being forced to do double work.

"Some people are overburdened with work yet others are earning salaries and doing whatever they are doing wherever they are," he said.

The headcount includes staff in counties, with a directive for those on strike to report back to their workstations and submit necessary paperwork.

He called on striking doctors to come out and present their paperwork during the exercise, noting that those who fail to do so will have action taken against them.

Kimtai said the exercise is important, adding that even though being on strike is their right, failing to present their papers will be treated as absconding duty.

"That is their right to be on strike but this time if you don't submit your paperwork the issue of strike will not come in because we will take action against you, we will say they have absconded duty," he said.

PS Kimtai clarified that the exercise is solely for record updating, placing individuals according to their specialities, and aligning heads of divisions and directorates.

This, he said, reflects the ministry's commitment to organisational efficiency and accountability.

According to the PS, Approximately 250 employees have already had their salary payments suspended, particularly those who failed to declare their wealth.