Kisumu referral hospital inks agreement with union to professionalize workforce and improve service delivery amid transition.

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has signed a pivotal Recognition Agreement with the doctors' union, a move set to redefine labor relations at the facility. The deal comes against a backdrop of intense pressure from clinical officers and other medics demanding better staffing levels and improved terms of service.

Stabilizing the Workforce

The agreement, signed by CEO Dr. Joshua Clinton Okise and KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah, grants the union legal standing to negotiate for its members. This is a crucial step as the hospital transitions into a parastatal, a status that grants it greater autonomy but also requires higher standards of governance. "This is about ensuring that the people who save lives are themselves taken care of," Dr. Atellah remarked.

Clinical officers, who have been vocal about the chronic understaffing at the facility, see this as a template for their own demands. The hospital has been operating with a skeleton staff in critical departments, leading to burnout and compromised patient care.

• The Agreement: Formalizes the relationship between JOOTRH management and the union.
• The Goal: To harmonize salaries and benefits with national referral hospital standards.
• The Context: JOOTRH serves as the primary referral center for over 5 million people in the Lake Region.

A New Era for JOOTRH?

The transition to parastatal status is intended to make JOOTRH a center of excellence. However, infrastructure upgrades mean nothing without a motivated workforce. This deal is the first concrete sign that the management is listening to the grievances that have plagued the institution for years.

As the clinical officers continue their push for similar recognition and staffing reforms, the spotlight is on the county and national government to provide the necessary budgetary support. The health of the region depends on it.