Relief as Kisumu County employs 250 health workers

Governor Peter Nyongo

The Kisumu County government has employed 250 health workers in efforts to boost capacity to fight Covid-19.

Chief Officer for Health and Sanitation Joseph Okweso said the first batch of 175 health workers reported last Monday. They include nurses, clinical officers, laboratory technologists, pharmaceutical technologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and radiographers.

Dr Okweso added that the second batch of 75 health workers are expected to report on Monday.

The county, which is yet to record any Covid-19 case, has shifted focus on preventive care.

“We are bringing in new staff to help fight the virus in case the county records any cases. For now, our focus is on prevention,” he said.

The Health CEC disclosed that the Public Service Board is running a rigorous recruitment exercise to pick the most skilled and qualified staff to join the county government workforce.

Okweso said the new staff would be distributed across the county and sub-county hospitals, while others would be posted to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.

Initially, the county had 250 doctors, 1,199 nurses and 159 clinical officers working in 123 public hospitals.

Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o said 433 healthcare providers have been trained and 790 sensitised across the county on how to respond to coronavirus cases.

The governor led the county Covid-19 emergency response committee in opening more isolation wards and quarantine centres.