Muchiri Gitonga
6 May 2008
Nairobi — A Cabinet minister Monday told nurses to look for opportunities abroad to improve their conditions.
"I don't think it is wrong if we could export our nurses," Gender and Children Affairs minister Esther Murugi Mathenge said.
She was addressing nurses at Nyamachaki PCEA Hall in Nyeri Town when she launched the international nurses week.
She said a lot of Kenyan nurses were going to Britain, US and South Africa where they are in great demand because they were well trained.
The minister said the country had enough nurses to work in local health facilities and to export to other countries.
Serious shortage
The minister made the call even as the Central provincial medical officer of health, Dr George Ngatiri, and the national chairman of National Nurses Association of Kenya, Mr Luke Kodambo, said there was a serious shortage of nurses in the country.
Dr Ngatiri said Central Province had a shortfall of 277 nurses. He said 47 dispensaries in the region were each being run by one nurse.
The PMO said there was a plan to use retired nurses to run primary health care at the community level.
He said the Government would address the issue of salaries and other allowances for the nurses and pleaded with them not to go on strike.
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