Lack of healthcare data hindering reforms, taskforce warns MPs

Appearing before the Departmental Committee on Health, chaired by Endebes MP Robert Pukose, the taskforce acknowledged that the SHA program is encountering significant challenges.

The taskforce emphasized that resolving these issues would ensure the system functions effectively for the benefit of the Kenyan public.

Additionally, the taskforce revealed that Kenya lacks accurate data on the total number of healthcare providers. This concern was raised by the recently formed Presidential Taskforce on Human Resources for Health, led by Prof. Kama Rogo, during its presentation to the National Assembly Health Committee.

Prof. Rogo highlighted the lack of transparency in the formulation of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), some of which were negotiated decades ago.

“To this day, we do not know who owns the CBAs. We have asked where major decisions are domiciled—are they made in Parliament or State House? We still do not know who negotiates, so we can properly balance preventive and curative health. This is the reality we face, and it is a challenge we must address,” Rogo stated.

He also raised concerns about employment in the health sector, questioning the qualifications of some employees.

“The real question is: who are the people being employed in this country? A senior public health officer retires and is replaced by a driver. We have seen medical officer positions being taken by non-medical personnel simply to increase salaries. We have evidence that, as a country, we are not building a strong health sector,” he added.

Rogo further criticized the work ethic in the sector, stating, “I have yet to see people who wake up in the morning and go to their workplaces. Those who do are treated as enemies within the sector.”

Committee member Christine Okoth also expressed concern about the country’s health data, revealing that the little information available is largely held by donors such as IntraHealth and USAID.

“We do not even understand how many healthcare workers we have,” Okoth lamented.

These revelations come amid ongoing unrest in the healthcare sector, with various professional groups, including doctors, nurses, and clinical officers, demanding better remuneration and employment terms. Several unions have been advocating for the establishment and implementation of CBAs to improve working conditions.

The Presidential Taskforce on Human Resources for Health was established by President William Ruto in July last year to investigate the challenges facing the sector. Taskforce members are now calling on MPs to act swiftly to address the issues affecting medical professionals.

On the issue of a Health Service Commission, Rogo confirmed that the taskforce has received requests from unions to establish a centralized body to manage human resources in the healthcare sector, similar to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).

“There is a need to standardize human resource management in the country. We cannot have every county doing its own thing. After all, Schedule 4 of the Constitution places labor standards as a national function,” he explained.

However, because health is a devolved function, governors have resisted the formation of a centralized Health Service Commission, fearing it would undermine the progress made under devolution.

MP Robert Pukose expressed shock at the lack of data on healthcare providers, emphasizing that accurate information is critical to ensuring quality care.

“To guarantee quality healthcare, we must first establish the actual number of healthcare workers available. Unfortunately, we lack sufficient data in critical areas of health,” Pukose stated.

He also questioned the inefficiencies in funding, drawing comparisons with challenges faced in the education sector.

“Why is funding not working, even in education? It is because the structure is not functioning properly. Medical services and public health should be coordinated effectively, with both sectors falling under one Director-General,” he concluded.