Busia County spends Sh150 million to promote 588 medics

The Busia County Public Service Board has promoted 588 healthcare workers after an 8-year-long wait, in a bid to boost service delivery.

The Board chairperson Michael Onyura, said the process was delayed largely by budgetary constraints and they have since secured at least Sh150 million to effect the promotions.

He said the promotion has now cleared a huge backlog in the Health Department and addressed the issue of job stagnation which triggered health workers' strike.

Speaking during a ceremony at the Busia Agricultural Training Centre (BATC), attended by Deputy Governor Arthur Odera and union officials, Mr Onyura said: “We are here to address historical injustices which cannot be solved by apportioning blame. We have just begun with the Health department but the same will be cascaded to other dockets.”

The Board chairperson noted that the first promotion batch will involve 588 healthcare givers, which is part of 839 names the board received from the Public Service Management Department.

“About 150 of those promoted will have to undergo suitability interview as per the Human Resource requirements before they are confirmed, less than 10 have reached their limit for promotion while the remaining lot will join the rest once they submit required documentation,” said the chair who was accompanied by Board CEO Mrs Truphena Akide.

While lauding the county leadership and union officials for support and agreeing to dialogue, Onyura assured that the board has put in place mechanisms that will ensure seamless promotion of health workers.

“We are also looking at other areas such as staff development, training and welfare considering that salary alone is not the only motivation factor in public service," he said.

The Deputy Governor who doubles up as County Executive for Health and Sanitation said that the county government under the leadership of Governor Paul Otuoma, will ensure a conducive working environment for medics through provision of equipment and commodities.

“As the leadership, we have also signed two recognition agreements with the laboratory technicians and nutritionists, paid their outstanding arrears, gazetted hospital management committees, progressed the Facility Improvement Fund (FIF) Bill to assist in generating revenue at the facility level and improved the supply of commodities,” Odera said.

“We are also keen on rolling out medical interns programme, incorporating Artificial Intelligence in the Preventive and Promotive initiatives and also roping in a partner who is ready to establish a Medical and Behavioural Research centre here in Busia," he added.

However, the executive challenged the newly promoted staff to reciprocate the gesture by working hard and smart to improve service delivery to the people.

“I am aware that within our facilities we have habits that cannot help us deliver services effectively including indiscipline cases such as absence from duty without approval and negligence,” said Odera.

Moving forward, the deputy governor warned that they will not condone indiscipline but instead cultivate a culture of transparency in service delivery.

“We are introducing performance contracting to ensure we have an objective system of measuring performance and appraising staff for purposes of service delivery,” he said.

In attendance were Director Public Health Dr David Mukabi, officials of Kenya Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KUMLO), Kenya National Union of Nutritionist and Dieticians (KUNAD), Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) and Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU).

“I believe that 90 per cent of the union members are going to be happy with this promotion and that is a good indicator, it is a motivator in itself and that is going to cascade to patients that they will be seeing every day,” said KNUN branch secretary James Emusugut.

“Promotion should be happening every year, it will not be fair for the promotion to wait for more than three years, but we have discussed with the county leadership and that will not happen again,” said Dr Sande Charo, KMPDU Western region branch secretary Busia chapter.