Dr Ombati highlights what a proper HSC should be;
A Proper HSC OR None:
What is a Proper HSC?
1. One that has power to hire, deploy and transfer Health workers in ALL Public Health facilities save for those under Independent Boards of Parastatals.
2. One that can be the Custodian of Schemes of Service for Health Workers thus promoting those that merit.
3. One that has power to monitor the performance of Healthcare workers and reward good performance and sanction under-performance or no performance.
4. One that exercises Disciplinary control and accountability of Health workers in public health facilities.
5. One that has a budget to run a payroll for the Health workers it employs.
What is a BAD HSC which is not worth the time?
1. One that has no clear cut mandate in hiring, deployment, promotion and discipline of the Health care workers.
This is the kind of HSC that is a waste of time and energy because it will only increase red tape and solve nothing. There will be no difference between it and the moribund Kenya Health Professionals Oversight Authority. Just another avenue to create moribund CEOs and waste taxpayers money and lengthen the corruption chain!
The journey for a proper HSC Continues
Anonymity says
No, no, no! Health should remain a devolved function. It is OK to have an HSC that regulates and certifies healthcare professionals. I am even OK with them setting and paying for a basement payment for the professionals. Each county can then be allocated an appropriate number of professionals based on their population. Each county can then choose who to hire from the certified list. They can pay additional money from county coffers for promotions, cost of living and any needed workers above their quota. You cannot have hiring and firing decisions centralised if the counties are to control their healthcare services. It also gives the counties an incentive to improve their citizens living conditions in order to produce healthier residents, thereby reducing their healthcare costs. Having counties competing for healthcare workers will eventually produce better working conditions for the professionals. We are just currently going through growing pains.
P.C says
So far, has it? IT HASN’T.