This archive report was first published on 2 August 2019.
Kenya's healthcare system is facing a severe crisis, with the quality of care and facilities continuing to deteriorate.
According to the Kenya Health Service Delivery Indicator Report of 2018, a collaborative effort between the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank, and the government, the country's healthcare sector is plagued by absenteeism, poor diagnostics, and inadequate supply of essential drugs.
As revealed by the report, hospitals in Kenya have the highest levels of absenteeism, with a staggering 60.4% of health workers failing to report for duty. Dispensaries and clinics, on the other hand, have the lowest absenteeism rate at 44.5%.
Notably, the report shows that doctors have the highest absenteeism rate at 60.7%, followed closely by nurses at 54.5% and clinical officers at 49.5% nationwide.
West Pokot County tops the list of counties with the highest absenteeism rate, followed by Marsabit County at 66%, Nyeri County at 65%, and Nairobi County at 58%.
On the other hand, Makueni County has the lowest absenteeism rate at 25%.
Regarding diagnostics, the report indicates that the ability and knowledge of healthcare service providers are low, with higher levels of accurate diagnosis reported in facilities in urban areas compared to those in rural areas.
Wajir, Garissa, and Narok counties lead the way in diagnostics, with 89%, 88%, and 83% accurate diagnosis rates respectively.
However, the availability of essential drugs remains unsatisfactory, with only 54.1% of priority drugs available countrywide. Marsabit, Turkana, and Samburu counties, however, have the highest availability of priority drugs at 71%, 69%, and 68% respectively.
