The government will engage research assistants to help in assessing and improving the quality of health care being provided across the country.
Public Health and Professional Standards PS Mary Muthoni, speaking at a Machakos hotel during a stakeholders meeting said the value any hospital or health facility is determined by its level of human resource, as well as the available equipment and also infrastructure.
Muthoni said the initial assessment targeting 3,603 health facilities, aims at gauging the quality service, identifying barriers and evaluating health workers’ readiness and adherence to laid down standards.
“We have come here to see how to improve our quality in terms of services that are given to patients,” she said.
For instance, the PS noted that cases of child mortality were still high in the country and that is why the government is determined to find a lasting solution to the menace.
“We would want to find out if it’s the kind of medicine that is being used, or whether are we lacking professionalism in terms of human resource, or is it the quality of machines that is not at par?,” she posed.
And though women are still giving birth in hospitals, there is still a lot of mortality, since they are still dying in bed and that’s why we want to find out, where the problem actually lies, hence the need for quality care assessment across the country, added the PS.
Muthoni pointed out that the national assessment will give government the way forward in terms of planning, which may even call for an in-service course for the doctors, nurses, or even the entire health workforce.
Consequently, the government has partnered with development partners and agencies such as United Nations Fund for Population Activity (UNFPA), United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO) and the Council of Governors to help them on how to improve quality healthcare in the 47 counties.
Muthoni highlighted that when quality is emphasized and improved at all levels, then the referral system becomes better through the 100,000 community health promoters who will be referring people from the villages after gaining their trust.
The PS said in a bid to reduce maternal mortality they have also reached out to the traditional birth attendants and urged them to ensure they take mothers to give birth in hospitals, where they are guaranteed of proper health services.
On the other hand, Muthoni noted that according to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey of 2022, there has been a remarkable increase in skilled birth attendants from 66% in 2014 to 89% in 2022.
She further added that according to the same report, 98% of women received antenatal care from a skilled provider, which means they had a nurse or health assistant who was helping them in terms of nutrition, immunization and vaccinations that happen before one gives birth.
At the same time, 66% of mothers completed at least 4 visits in hospitals before giving birth and following what the doctor has said, such as detection of infections that might affect the mother’s body and that of the unborn child.
On children below 2 years, the report highlights that at least 80% were vaccinated, which is a great improvement since it aligns with Kenya’s shift towards preventive healthcare, while emphasizing primary healthcare.
By Anne Kangero
