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NAIROBI, KENYA: Almost half of health workers across the country are not available for duty because of either rampant absenteeism or they are ghost employees, according to a new national health services census.
With or without permission to attend to other matters the survey reports the highest absenteeism in Nyeri, Elgeyo Marakwet and Kericho. The census also revealed that there were many people indicated to be working in various stations but who have since left employment.
"More than half of the human resources registered are not available to provide services showing the high attrition rates and absenteeism in the health sector," says the report.
The, Kenya Service Availability and Readiness Assessment Mapping, (SARAM), an effort between the government and the World Health Organisation was released recently by the Cabinet Secretary for Health Mr James Macharia.
"I encourage counties to use this information for strategic planning, priority allocation of health resources and programming to make Kenya a healthy nation," says Mr Macharia.
On the days of the study some 1253 workers were absent from duty in Mombasa County and more than 600 in Kiambu county.
To catch ghost workers, absentees and those stealing supplies, the survey wants every worker assigned a unique identifier for closer follow-up. "Under a mandatory system there must be enforceable sanctions for falsely reporting items such as payroll size and number of employees."
Although the whole country recorded a shortage of workers most hit are Turkana, Bomet, Kajiado, Kisii and Murang'a in that order while the best staffed were Embu, Isiolo, Kiambu, Laikipia and Mombasa.
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