President William Ruto has recommended the formation of a Kenya Human Resource Advisory Council.
The council will be tasked with addressing all the constant challenges facing the health sector in the country between the counties, the national government, and the healthcare workers.
The President on Monday said the council is already provided for in law and called on the counties to nominate members to the board.
“We have agreed with governors that to remove the constant challenge that we have had around the partnership between the national government and counties and our health workers, we are going to inaugurate the Kenya Human Resource Advisory Council,” Ruto said.
“We can use it to iron out some of the issues raised by our health workers and I think we now have a template on how we can resolve these things in a way that gives everybody a chance around a table.”
Health unions have in the recent past called on the President to constitute a National Joint Taskforce on Health to look into issues affecting the health sector in the country.
The unions wanted the task force constituted to undertake an evaluation of the last decade since the devolution of health with a view to recommending solutions that will put health back on the progress towards attainment of Vision 2030.
They recommended that the task force will provide a framework for the establishment of a Health Commission for the management of human resources for health without undermining devolution.
“The task force will also provide a framework for ring-fencing funds for healthcare from facility improvement to allocations from the treasury in collaboration with county governments,” George Gibore said.
Gibore is the SG Kenya Union of Clinical Officers.
Gibore has noted that it is time to reflect on the challenges faced in the last 10 years of devolution, and convert the lessons learnt into opportunities to better and strengthen the health systems towards achieving UHC.
They proposed that the joint task force be composed of officials from the ministry, CoG, and representatives from the health unions.
