JOOTRH signs deal as clinical officers push staffing reforms

Clinical officers at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) are set to begin formal negotiations for improved terms of service.

 This follows the signing of a recognition agreement between the hospital and the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO).

 The agreement at Kisumu’s Level 6 national referral facility gives the union legal authority to represent clinical officers in negotiations with management, paving the way for a CBA.

 Union leaders said the move comes at a critical time for the health sector, which is undergoing major reforms amid persistent staffing shortages in counties and referral facilities.

 KUCO national chairperson Peterson Wachira said the agreement provides a structured platform to address staff welfare, which he linked directly to service delivery.

 “When healthcare workers are supported, patients receive better care. This agreement allows us to engage the employer formally on issues affecting our members,” Wachira said.

 The hospital was elevated to a national teaching and referral hospital last year, expanding its mandate beyond Kisumu and neighbouring counties.

 While acknowledging progress in the transition, the union used the occasion to highlight broader systemic challenges.

 KUCO secretary general George Gibore said health reforms must prioritise human resources to succeed.

 “You cannot talk about reform without investing in healthcare workers. Infrastructure alone does not treat patients,” he said.

 Gibore cited staffing gaps across counties, noting that some regions require more than 300 clinical officers but operate with fewer than 100.

 He warned that such shortages strain existing staff and risk compromising patient care.

 The union also questioned service limitations based on facility classification levels, arguing that patients should not be denied care where qualified professionals are available.

 “If a trained clinician is present and able to provide a life-saving intervention, rigid categorisation should not stand in the way,” the secretary general said.

 He called for a review of how the health sector wage bill is treated, proposing that healthcare workers’ salaries be considered an investment rather than recurrent expenditure. He said this would give facilities room to hire more staff.

 The remarks come as the country implements health financing reforms under the Social Health Authority framework, changes that have triggered debate over funding flows and service delivery models.

 Acting chief executive officer Dr Joshua Okise said JOOTRH has developed key human resource instruments, including career guidelines, job descriptions and staff establishment structures.

 He said the hospital is awaiting final salary structuring advice from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.

 “We are about 95 per cent through the transition process. Once the salary structure is approved, staff will move to the parastatal payroll,” Dr Okise said.

 He added that the hospital has expanded specialist services since its elevation, recruiting two neurosurgeons and increasing the number of orthopaedic surgeons from one to four.

 The facility has also engaged a critical care clinical officer and is in the process of hiring additional specialists.

 The hospital said it is now handling complex procedures locally, reducing referrals to facilities outside the region.

 However, union leaders cautioned that service expansion must be matched with adequate staffing levels to avoid overburdening workers.

 They also raised concerns over what they described as premature and unverified allegations against healthcare workers circulating in the public domain, urging due process in handling professional conduct matters.

 The recognition agreement clears the way for formal negotiations between the union and hospital management on pay, working conditions and other employment terms. The discussions could shape labour relations at one of Kenya’s newest national referral hospitals.

 For clinical officers at JOOTRH, the next phase will determine whether the hospital’s structural transition translates into improved working conditions and, ultimately, better patient care.