KIRINYAGA COUNTY

GOVERNMENT





COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Speech by His Excellency, Hon. Joseph K Ndathi
The Governor, Kirinyaga County


On the occasion of

Flagging of 260 Newly Appointed Health Care Workers
in the County

At the
County Headquarter Grounds



Wednesday 24
th
September 2014


Members of the County Executive Committee,
The Members of the county Assembly present,
health workers present and other invited guests

Good morning!
I take this opportunity to welcome all you in this great occasion of
commissioning the 260 health care providers into services of Kirinyaga
County community

Ladies and gentlemen as you are aware health is a devolved function of the
County government mandated with functions like: County health facilities
and pharmacies, Ambulance services, Promotion of primary health care,
Licensing and control of agencies that sell food to the public and Public
health and sanitation. Also the Constitution of Kenya 2010 places the
responsibility for the provision of accessible and quality health services on
the government. My Government is committed into ensuring that the
people of Kirinyaga attain the highest level of quality health care. To this
end my government has supported the County department of health in the
last FY 2013-2014 to expand the infrastructure in the various health
facilities:
Construction of a modern maternity in Kimbimbi Sub-County
hospital
Construction of a morgue and X-ray deparments in Kianyaga and
Sagana Sub-County hospitals
Drilling of borehole in Sagana Sub-County hospital
6 laboratories have been constructed
Construction of 14 Dispensaries ongoing
Assorted medical and laboratories for various health facilities have
been purchased and distributed among others

Ladies and gentlemen in this financial year (2014-2015) we are committed
to support the expansion of Kerugoya County hospital to a level 5 hospital
to minimize referrals out of the County for specialized care and
strengthening referral system through purchase of ambulances.
Im also aware that 15 of our dispensaries have been upgraded to health
centres and that over the past year the County has lost health workers
through attrition. This demands viable plans to ensure health care
providers are availed. My Government has put aside a budget allocation
and hired 260 health workers with different professionalism on permanent
basis as follows; Clinical Officers, Nurses, Medical laboratory personnel,
Nutritionists, Pharmacist, Physiotherapist and All others

Its my sincere hope that the County Department of health will rationalize
the distribution of these new health care providers based on technical need
across the County and ensuring the spirit of devolution of taking services
close to the people is achieved.
Ladies and gentlemen my Government is also committed to ensuring these
health care workers have the right tools; health commodities,
equipments/machines and conducive environment to maximize on their
knowledge and skills. I hope this will be translated into a healthy and
productive population through reduction of morbidity and mortality.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the newly employed health workers
for the appointment but I hope they will uphold discipline, professionalism
and ethics as they serve the people of Kirinyaga.

God Bless you and God bless people of Kirinyaga.