NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 31– Clinical Officers who undertake training in three major health sectors will now go through a new curriculum which has been developed and launched to keep up with the dynamic changes in the medical field.
Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Cleopa Mailu made the announcement on Thursday morning, explaining that the three curricula were meant to harmonize the training of Clinical Officers in the country and upgrade their skills so as to meet the growing demand of health services.
He added that the Core Curriculum in Bachelor of Science, Clinical Medicine and Community Health; Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Higher National Diploma in Reproductive Health would spearhead the attainment of high healthcare standards in the country, in line with Vision 2030.
“As you are all aware, training is the foundation of a solid health profession and to achieve high health standards, the supervision of training institutions and internship centers is key,” he said.
Dr. Mailu further observed that the introduction of the newly developed Higher National Diploma in Reproductive Health for Clinical Officers was a major milestone in the provision of comprehensive reproductive health services.
“These officers will work to contribute to the provision of quality service and reduce maternal, neonatal and child mortality through programmes like Beyond Zero Campaign,” he explained.
The curricula have been developed in such a way that health workers are trained as close to their service stations as possible, owing to the needs brought about by the devolution of health.
The CS added that the Ministry was working towards reducing the shortage of health workers to not only meet the demand but also address the evolving disease burden.
“This requires a significant shift on how health training at pre-service and in-service levels is managed, monitored and regulated. We are working on a new way of doing things,” he said.
In order for Kenya to meet the globally recommended health worker to patient ratio, it is imperative that the production of new health workers is increased by at least 50 percent. This ratio is pegged at 23 skilled health professionals per 10,000 patients.
Dr. Mailu further lauded efforts made by FunzoKenya in addressing health workforce training needs, noting that it had not only helped in the production of the curriculums but also supported other regulatory bodies in this area.
“I want to thank most sincerely all the collaborating agencies for coming together for purposes of improving health care delivery in this country,” he concluded.