This archive report was first published on 27 July 2019.
Kenya is grappling with a severe shortage of public health officers and technicians, posing significant challenges to the country's healthcare delivery system.
According to Simon Kimani, Chairman of the Public Health Officers and Technical Council, the country has a staggering ratio of one public health officer per 11,250 citizens, making it an enormous task to monitor and deliver public health services effectively.
Speaking at Mount Kenya University, Mr. Kimani emphasized the need for an additional 4,000 public health officers and technicians to address the emerging environmental health challenges across the country.
He noted that this would translate to approximately 40 public health officers and 46 public health technicians per county, which is crucial in addressing the current disease burden arising from preventable causes.
Mount Kenya University has been cleared to offer public health studies courses, including a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health programme, which is expected to contribute to addressing the shortage of public health officers.
Mr. Kimani emphasized that the accreditation of the programme is a significant step towards improving the quality of training for public health officers, but it is only the beginning of a long-term effort to bridge the current shortage in the health workforce, particularly at the community level.
He emphasized the importance of supporting and empowering critical community health units through promoting public health preventive services, which will ultimately lead to a reduction in the disease burden at the primary healthcare level.
By achieving Universal Health Coverage, Kenya will be able to save resources in curative care services, promote a healthy population, and create more employment opportunities for its youth.
