7000 health workers needed to fill gap of those sacked over fake certificates

7,304 health workers were expelled after being discovered to have earned employment using fake certificates.The saga left behind 3,439 workers, thus leaving a shortage in the sector’s workforce to reach 49.5 percent, which is equivalent to half of the health workers needed.Minister of State in the President’s Office in charge of Regional Administration and Local Government, Mr George Simbachawene, assured the Chairman of Regional Medical Officers in Tanzania Mainland, Dr Leonard Subi that the government was paying attention to the matter.

Dodoma. It has emerged that millions of sick Tanzanians are now missing health care services while regional medical officers-in-charge are requesting the government to employ 7,304 new health workers before the situation becomes worse.

The new health workers are needed to cushion the gap left by those, who were expelled after being discovered to have earned employment using fake certificates.

The statement was made yesterday by the Chairman of Regional Medical Officers in Tanzania Mainland, Dr Leonard Subi, when informing the Minister of State in the President’s Office in charge of Regional Administration and Local Government, Mr George Simbachawene, that the situation has gotten worse in dispensaries and health centres.

Dr Subi said that the fake certificates saga left behind 3,439 workers, thus leaving a shortage in the sector’s workforce to reach 49.5 percent, which is equivalent to half of the health workers needed.

“Honourable Minister, a total of 285 dispensaries do not have skilled workers as they are now led by medical attendants. Furthermore, 1,505 health centres have completely no Clinical Officers (CO) or Clinical Assistants (CA). They are being led by nurses,” said Dr Subi.

On the issue of general health service provisions, he said there were still some major challenges, particularly child birth-related-deaths, which were not going down, according to studies.

Dr Subi elaborated that the number of deaths had increased from 454 in the year 2004/05 to 556 in 2015/16.

However, Mr Simbachawene admitted that the provision of health services in the country was not encouraging enough. Nevertheless, he assured them that the government was paying attention to the matter including identifying non-efficient staff, who would give room to those with capability.

Source : THE CITIZEN