Over the past decade, Kenya has made significant strides in strengthening its health workforce, a key factor in improving the overall quality of healthcare services across the country. In just ten years, the number of active health workers has more than doubled, growing from a modest number to nearly 190,000 professionals spread across various health occupations, including doctors, nurses, midwives, surgeons, and specialists. This growth is part of a larger effort to ensure that health services are more accessible and equitable for all Kenyans.
The increased number of health workers is having a noticeable impact in communities across Kenya. Take, for example, the Railways Health Centre in Kisumu County. Five years ago, Esther Omagwa, a nurse at the facility, was one of only two nurses serving a large population. The workload was overwhelming, and at times, she had to turn patients away due to the lack of staff. Today, the situation has vastly improved. With the nursing team expanded to four, Omagwa and her colleagues are able to provide better care and manage their patient load more effectively. “These days I can respond to patients efficiently. Even when one of us goes on leave, we still have capacity,” she says, reflecting on the positive changes.
The staff at Railways Health Centre has tripled in size, now comprising 30 health professionals, including specialists in areas like maternal and child health, cardiology, orthopaedics, and mental health. This increased capacity means that fewer patients are referred to larger hospitals, which helps reduce the burden on more centralized healthcare facilities. Violet Ouma, a laboratory officer at the health centre, highlights the importance of having specialists on-site. “Since we have been able to incorporate more specialized services in each department, we haven’t had to refer as many patients to larger facilities,” she notes.
Kisumu is one of the six counties in Kenya that have been designated as model counties for human resources for health. These counties have successfully piloted the primary healthcare networks initiative, a program designed to improve healthcare delivery at the community level. This initiative is a reflection of Kenya’s broader efforts to transform its healthcare system and address gaps in staffing and specialization.
The progress in strengthening the health workforce is not just about increasing numbers; it also involves improving data collection and workforce planning. The integration of digital technologies at health facilities has made a significant difference. For instance, health records are now being digitized at Railways Health Centre, enabling more accurate and timely data collection. This shift is helping health authorities better understand staffing needs, identify gaps in healthcare services, and allocate resources more efficiently.
Flavia Naudi, a Health Records Information Officer at the centre, explains, “In the past, we’ve been using the manual way of collecting data and currently all our services are being digitalized. We are part of the new generation that is actually using technology to improve healthcare service delivery on staffing and specialization.” This technological transformation is crucial in ensuring that healthcare resources are distributed effectively and that the workforce is trained and deployed where it is most needed.
In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced Kenya to the National Health Workforce Accounts, a system designed to help countries collect, analyze, and utilize data on their health workforce. Through this initiative, Kenya has conducted three cycles of data collection, which has been instrumental in identifying staffing needs, improving policy decisions, and aligning efforts with the Kenya Human Resources for Health Strategy 2019–2023. This data-driven approach has paved the way for a more comprehensive Health Labour Market Analysis, conducted between 2021 and 2023, which highlights the gaps between the supply and demand of health workers and offers insights into how policy changes can address these challenges.
As Kenya continues to improve its health workforce, the country is moving closer to achieving universal health coverage. Dr. Abdourahmane Diallo, the WHO Representative in Kenya, emphasizes the importance of this progress: “Health workers are the backbone of the health system. The steps that the country is taking to improve the quality and quantity of the health workforce will help universal health coverage become a reality.” With continued investment in both the quantity and quality of healthcare professionals, Kenya is well on its way to building a stronger, more resilient health system that can meet the needs of its population.
