Kisumu: The management of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has secured a new comprehensive medical cover for its staff after months of uncertainty, even as the facility moves closer to formal recognition as a Level 6 institution. The agreement, signed with SHA on October 15, will benefit all 1,086 staff members of the referral facility. It follows a lapse in medical coverage that left hundreds of workers exposed after the county government halted the previous arrangement during the hospital’s transition phase.
According to Kenya News Agency, JOOTRH Acting Chief Executive Officer, Joshua Okise, assured doctors and other staff at the facility that their medical cover was taken care of in accordance with the hospital’s new status. ‘I am pleased to announce that the transition is in good progress, and we have entered into an agreement with SHA to provide comprehensive medical cover to all our staff,’ he said. Okise made the remarks during a meeting with officials from the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) led by Nyanza Region Chairman Dr. Onyango Ndonga.
Top on the union’s agenda was a demand for pay parity with other Level 6 facilities and the prompt remittance of union deductions. The union had also raised concern over the delayed medical cover, saying it had caused anxiety among workers. Okise confirmed that the hospital was in the final stages of aligning its human resource structures with Level 6 standards. ‘The HR instruments have been completed, and a committee is finalizing job descriptions before forwarding them to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for grading,’ he said.
He added that management remains committed to improving staff welfare, as the facility transitions to a national referral hospital.