Ratio on nurses to patients in Kenya is still below the World Health Organization recommendation, Director of Nursing Services Mary Nandili said on Thursday.
According to the Health Workforce Status Report, WHO placed the nurse-patient ratio to 25:10,000. The recommended ratio is 83:10,000.
Nandili said, “Every day, our population is growing just like any other part of the world. That is why the first world countries are looking for nurses from Africa. Globally, we need more nurses."
She spoke at the three-day Second Building Capacity for Nurses and Midwifery Leadership in Africa Conference at St Paul’s University main campus in Limuru.
The university on Thursday launched a bachelor of science in nursing and a diploma course in clinical medicine.
Nandili urged well-wishers and institutions offering scholarships to support students taking nursing courses.
“We need to support nursing students because nurses are the biggest work force in the health sector,” she said.
St Paul’s University VC Joseph Galgallo said the institution will invest in research.
Galgallo said the research will help the students to be more creative and attain high standard training.
He said the course, which started this year with 59 students, will increase the number of nurses in the country.
Galgallo said they will be partnering with the Health ministry, the National Nurses Association of Kenya, institutions that train nurses and the county governments where their students will take internships.
“In fact, we have entered into a memorandum of understanding with hospitals, health institutions and associations. We have identified the equipment we want to use. We wouldn’t want our training to be in isolation. We want our students to be absorbed in the workforce comfortably,” he said.
Christian Health Association’s official Lisa De Cole urged nursing students to undertake more courses.
