Skip to main content

Clinical Officers Demand Reforms in Healthcare System Over Discrimination by Social Health Authority

   The Association of Clinical Officers' Specialists held a press briefing in Nairobi to address widespread concerns about the discrimination faced by Clinical Officers by the Social Health Authority. They particularly highlighted issues surrounding the preauthorization of specialized services provided to the public, which disproportionately impacts less privileged members of society.

The association expressed support for the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers' planned industrial action, set to begin on January 19, 2025, if the government fails to address their grievances. The specialists raised concerns over policies that prevent them from efficiently offering critical medical interventions.

According to the association, Clinical Officer specialists contribute to 80% of specialized medical services in Kenya. They play a pivotal role in ensuring safe and timely delivery of healthcare. However, their ability to authorize specialized procedures has been hindered by bureaucratic hurdles. This delay has left vulnerable patients suffering, some of whom have reportedly lost their lives due to delays in receiving specialized care.

The association underscored the urgent need for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to involve all healthcare providers in decision-making processes. Denial of preauthorization rights undermines not only the professional standing of Clinical Officers but also the rights of patients, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

     Demands by the Association

 Immediate Policy Review: An urgent review of preauthorization policies that currently block Clinical Officers from effectively offering specialized services.

   Equitable Healthcare Access: A demand for equal access to healthcare for underprivileged populations, emphasizing that denying this access is an injustice that must end.

     Empowerment of Clinical Officers: Full integration of Clinical Officers into the national healthcare framework, along with recognition, support, and resources to enhance service delivery.

  The association stressed that Clinical Officers are highly trained professionals with qualifications on par with other healthcare practitioners. They called on the government to remove the unnecessary bureaucratic hindrances that compromise their ability to save lives.

The planned industrial action underscores the urgency of addressing these systemic challenges, with the association warning that unresolved issues could lead to further disruptions in healthcare delivery across the country.


Comments

Post a Comment

good

Popular posts from this blog

Kenya Dental Association Condemns KMPDC Over Alleged Misregulation of Dentistry.

The Kenya Dental Association (KDA ) has strongly condemned the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) over what it terms as misregulation and illegal handling of the dental profession. In a press release dated April 10, 2025, the KDA expressed deep outrage and disappointment following the publication of a new Scope of Practice for Dentistry by KMPDC, which the association claims is unlawful and dangerously undermines the quality of oral healthcare in the country. According to the KDA, the scope in question allows unqualified para-professionals to engage in dental procedures without appropriate curriculum-based training or the necessary competencies. The association accuses the KMPDC, under the leadership of its chairperson Prof. Stanley Khainga , of ignoring its mandate to ensure that Kenyans access the highest attainable standard of healthcare. KDA warns that this misstep poses a serious threat to patient safety and public health, potentially leading to ...
Post a Comment
Read more

STATE DEPARTMENT OF GENDER AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION SEEKS TO INCORPORATE WOMEN RISE INITIATIVE FINDINGS INTO THE KENYA NATIONAL CARE POLICY.

From left, State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action Secretary Gender Dr. Josephine Obonyo,   African Population and Health Research Centre Executive Director Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi,   Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communication, Dean Prof. Nancy Booker,    Development Research Centre Global Health Director Montasser Kamal, d uring the Women RISE end- of- project meeting aimed at understanding the intersection between women’s health and their paid or unpaid work within COVID-19 contexts The State Department of Gender and Affirmative Action has sought to incorporate the findings of the Women RISE initiative to the Kenya National Care Policy which seeks to address the longstanding issue of unpaid domestic and care work predominantly performed by women and girls. The Women RISE initiative has over the last three years fostered action-oriented, gender-transformative research to explore the link between women’s health and their paid or u...
Post a Comment
Read more

Records Digitization Failures Risk Digital Kenya; Urges ICT-Records Unity.

Ms. Mary Kerema, OGW, Secretary ICT e-government and Digital Economy. Nairobi, Kenya - July 16, 2025.   Ms. Mary Kerema, OGW, delivering remarks on behalf of Eng. John Tanui, MBS, the Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy , issued a blunt assessment today, government efforts to digitize critical records are failing, risking the paralysis of Kenya's broader digital transformation agenda. Speaking to ICT Directors and various stakeholders at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Kenya Association of Records Managers and Archivists (KARMA) at the Serena Hotel, Kerema conveyed the PS's deep concern over the " significantly low" progress made since the Ministry directed State Corporations to adopt paperless systems in March 2023. She emphasized that the core problem identified by the PS is not funding, but a critical deficit in expertise, infrastructure, and a widespread underestimation of the domain's complexity, a complexity interwoven with leg...
Post a Comment
Read more