Mombasa County has appointed 447 short-term health staff in response to a fourfold surge in patient visits to public facilities following the rollout of free medical services in October. The move aims to honour the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's initiative. Governor Abdulswamad Nassir described the county's response as "excellent" and attributed the patient surge to many seeking medical care from outside Mombasa.
The free-care program, introduced in October, has seen a significant increase in demand for healthcare services in Mombasa County. As a result, the county has faced shortages in registration equipment at some facilities. To address this, the governor stated that the county is discussing with its digital health team how to increase the number of patient-registration devices.
Governor Nassir noted that current stocks of medicine are sufficient, but the county is engaging with medicine suppliers to boost orders and prevent drug shortages. The county offered short-term contracts to the 447 additional health workers to meet the sharp increase in demand. The governor expects the patient surge to ease within two days.
To guide the next phase of the response, Governor Nassir has asked each facility to submit detailed needs. He indicated that the county will review whether any of the 447 short-term positions should be converted to longer-term contracts once the immediate pressure subsides.
The governor linked the ability to manage the surge to earlier health-system reforms under the Social Health Authority. He argued that the episode underscores the importance of continued investment in universal health coverage. The county's response to the patient surge has been ongoing since the introduction of free medical services.
Mombasa County's efforts to address the staffing gap and equipment shortages are underway. The county is working to increase the number of patient-registration devices and engaging with medicine suppliers. Governor Nassir expressed confidence in the county's ability to manage the surge.
The introduction of free medical services in Mombasa County has had a significant impact on the demand for healthcare services. With 447 additional health workers on board, the county aims to provide quality healthcare to its patients. The county will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary.
Key points
- Mombasa County appointed 447 short-term health staff amid a fourfold surge in patient visits following the rollout of free medical services.
- The county is addressing shortages in registration equipment and medicine suppliers to prevent drug shortages.
- Governor Nassir expects the patient surge to ease within two days and plans to review short-term positions for potential conversion to longer-term contracts.
