Ministry set to implement a health professionals’ policy

By Jabali Media

There is a serious push to align the health education with the needs especially at mid-level health institutions such as the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), a bid to move the country’s health sector from curative to promotive health.

According to Public Health and Professional Standards Princip Secretary (PS) Mary Muthoni, a countywide needs assessment has been launched, with the key idea being to understand what are the needs in driving the preventive message as opposed to what has been – curative.

Consequently, she said, the country will soon be implementing a health professionals’ policy which will guide areas of investment and heavily determine what will be taught in schools and professional needs.

Speaking in Juja Kiambu during a college graduation for community health promoters as well as visit a number of social health insurance registration centres, PS Muthoni insisted on the need for Kenyans to register and embrace the new health plan, saying it had more for Kenyans to gain from

Muthoni urged all institutions offering or aspiring to offer medical courses to consult professional bodies.

“I urge all institutions offering or aspiring to offer medical courses to consult professional bodies to ensure their training meets professional standards, and equips graduates to meet both local and global health labour market demands,” she stated.

On the quest to send health professionals to work in other countries, PS Muthoni noted that talks on agreements with different interested countries were ongoing.

She noted that the ministry was working closely with county governments to provide budgets for employment of health professionals in all cadres.