Clinical officers in Kenya have intensified their calls for empanelment under the Social Health Authority (SHA), emphasizing their competence in conducting essential medical procedures such as cataract surgeries and caesarean sections (CS). Speaking during the 16th Annual Scientific Conference for Ophthalmic Clinical Officers in Malindi, representatives from the Kenya Clinical Officers Association (KCOA), the Ophthalmic Clinical Officers Association (OCOA), and the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) asserted that restricting their authorization to perform surgeries would negatively impact healthcare accessibility.
KCOA President Moses Konde Matole dismissed concerns raised by the Kenya Medical Association about the competency of clinical officers in surgical procedures. He reiterated that clinical officers are highly trained professionals, regulated under an Act of Parliament through the Clinical Officers Council. Matole further stressed that denying them preauthorization rights would limit the availability of crucial healthcare services, especially in rural and underserved areas where they play a pivotal role in medical care.
KUCO National Chairman Patterson Wachira highlighted the long history of clinical officers performing critical surgeries in Kenya. He pointed out that clinical officers have been conducting cataract surgeries for over 34 years and caesarean sections for 27 years. Wachira explained that these responsibilities were initially assigned by the Ministry of Health due to an overwhelming disease burden that medical officers alone could not manage. He emphasized that restricting their role would be a setback in Kenya’s efforts to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates.
Geoffrey Anaya, Kilifi County Eye Care Coordinator, urged SHA to recognize the existing legal frameworks that govern clinical officers’ work. He warned that failure to empanel ophthalmic surgeons for cataract surgeries—the leading cause of blindness globally—would deny thousands of patients access to vital care.
Echoing these sentiments, OCOA Chairman George Ohito noted that more than 90 percent of cataract surgeries in Kenya are conducted by ophthalmic clinical officers. He urged the government to empower these professionals, particularly in regions where they are the primary, and often the only, healthcare providers.
“The government must facilitate the work of clinical officers at all levels to ensure they continue to benefit Kenyans,” Ohito stated.
With Kenya’s healthcare system heavily reliant on clinical officers, their empanelment under SHA remains a crucial step toward improving access to quality medical services across the country.
