President William Ruto has inaugurated the Kenya Health Human Resource Advisory Council, challenging its members to address the pressing issues affecting health professionals across the country.

The Council, chaired by Dr. Francis Wafula of Strathmore University, consists of representatives from the National Government, counties, and training institutions, and is mandated to review policies and establish norms and standards for health workers.

During the inauguration ceremony held at State House in Nairobi, President Ruto emphasized the importance of ensuring the happiness and productivity of health professionals.

He acknowledged that the lack of adequate consultation between the National and County governments had previously hindered the operationalization of the council, resulting in challenges in the delivery of healthcare services.

“Inadequate consultation between the two levels of government in the past prevented the operationalisation of the council affecting effective delivery of health services," Ruto stated.

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The newly established advisory council will play a vital role in various aspects of healthcare management.

It will oversee the posting of interns to health facilities run by both National and County governments, facilitate inter-county transfers of health professionals, and manage transfers between different levels of government.

Additionally, the council will standardize welfare and schemes of service for health professionals and coordinate the rotation of specialist doctors to enhance service delivery throughout the country.

It will also maintain a comprehensive master register of all health practitioners in the counties.

One of the key issues the council aims to address is the training of staff in the counties.

Ruto highlighted the challenge faced by counties, as they are responsible for paying salaries but cannot replace health professionals who are in training, as the National Government covers the costs of their education.

“The National Government pays for training of health professionals, while counties continue to pay their salaries and can’t replace them when on training. These are some of the issues the advisory council will deal with,” Ruto said.

Council of Governors Chair Anne Waiguru expressed satisfaction with the composition of the advisory council, emphasizing that it reflects the constitutional roles and responsibilities of both levels of government in the provision of healthcare services.

The establishment of the Kenya Health Human Resource Advisory Council marks a significant step toward resolving the long-standing challenges faced by health professionals in the country.

By promoting collaboration between the National and County governments, the council aims to ensure the well-being of healthcare workers, enhance service delivery, and ultimately improve the overall healthcare system in Kenya.