Ministry, Public Health Union Hold Talks on Legal Reforms and Workforce Gaps
The Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, on Tuesday held a consultative meeting with the top leadership of the Kenya Environmental and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU) to discuss reforms aimed at strengthening public health practice in the country.
The meeting, led on the union’s side by Secretary General Mr Brown Ashira, focused on the review of the public health legislative framework, with particular attention to the formal gazettement of regulated functions. Officials said the move would help clarify the legal mandate of public health practitioners and enhance enforcement of sanitation and hygiene standards nationwide.
Participants also raised concerns over persistent workforce challenges in the sector. Key issues included staffing shortages, inadequate financing, and the need for improved budgetary allocations to better support public health technicians and specialists across national and county levels.
On the policy front, the discussions explored the harmonisation of Community Health Associations, as well as the formal registration and licensing of practitioners. These measures were identified as critical steps toward strengthening professionalism, accountability, and the overall quality of public health service delivery.
The Ministry of Health reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with professional bodies and unions to address systemic challenges in the sector. PS Muthoni emphasized that supporting and equipping public health practitioners is central to building a resilient health system and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of all Kenyans.
Union leaders welcomed the engagement, terming it a positive step toward resolving long-standing policy and operational issues affecting public health professionals in the country.
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