Kenya to host health practitioners training conference

By Samuel Ouma [caption id="attachment_93179" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe[/caption] Kenya is set to host a major international conference on harmonization of curriculum and training of health professionals next week. The forum will be officially opened by President Uhuru Kenyatta on February 7 and will run until February 9 in Mombasa, coastal part of the country. The meeting whose theme is ‘Repositioning today’s health workforce for the future’ is being hosted by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education. It will bring together will bring together professional trainers in the private sector, faith-based organizations, the Kenyan government and regional governments from more than 99 countries. “The meeting will address the future workforce in the health sector. For instance, what should a nurse of tomorrow look like, what must they be trained in,” said Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe. Key speakers will attend the conference in-person at Sarova White Sands hotel in Mombasa County while other participants will attend virtually in line with the COVID-19 health protocols. Local, regional and international corporations, medical institutions, trainers and providers will also have an opportunity to showcase their work at exhibition stands during the conference. Kagwe said the conference is a major milestone towards health care reforms aimed at strengthening technical and soft skill competencies. He further noted it will enhance global competitiveness and future job readiness of health professionals. The CS pointed out that it will strengthen the capability and technical support for health professionals to implement Universal Health Coverage (UHC), anchored on the pillars of provision of quality healthcare, ensuring access and affordability of health care services.   “This conference provides an opportunity to focus on ways of optimizing the health workforce, enhancing governance in cadre recognition, schemes of service and scope of practice for improved workforce management and retention, as well as formulating regulatory frameworks and cross sectoral partnerships and collaborations,’’ stated CS Kagwe.