CS Barasa champions for East Africa’s harmonized healthcare workers’ training

CS Barasa addressing the press in Mombasa on Friday. Photo/Courtesy

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By Jabali Media

Cabinet Secretary (CS) for health Deborah Mlongo Barasa is advocating for the harmonization of healthcare workers’ training and regulation, across the East African Community (EAC).

The move, she said, will drastically improve healthcare systems and service delivery in the region.

Speaking on Friday during the closing of the East African Workshop on Harmonization of Regulation for Healthcare Workers in Mombasa, Dr. Barasa laid emphasis on the importance of standardized education and training for health professionals like clinical officers, nurses, midwives, and public health officers to ensure consistent competencies.

Aligning training standards, the CS added, would promote workforce mobility, address skill gaps, and support Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

“I also call for harmonized internship training and public health curricula to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical skills,” she added.

The CS reiterated Kenya’s commitment to supporting the harmonization agenda, and praised the contributions of key stakeholders, including World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) Health Africa.

The workshop ended with a raft of recommendations from participants, such as regulating unregulated healthcare cadres, strengthening capacity-building efforts, and mobilizing resources for systemic reforms.

It was a significant step towards strengthening East Africa’s healthcare systems, and achieving regional integration through a skilled and mobile workforce.