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Omtatah now pursues the legality of PHOTC’s activities as he files a separate case on Ombacho’s illegal term extension

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             By Kevin Ndhirangu             The Public Health Sector with bias to Environmental Health has been at its worst over the last one decade. This is evidenced by the surge and re-emergence of communicable diseases such as Cholera, Typhoid, Malaria, TB, HIV, RTIs, etc. This has been attributed to poor leadership and mismanagement. This is a blow to the taxpayers in the country considering the government spends millions of shillings to train Public Health Officers across the Country. Going by the recommended ratio of 1 Public Health Officer (PHOs) per 1000 population, the country on overage needs to have employed over 40,000 PHOs. However, hardly 4,000 exist in the MOH database, with an equally same number stranded out there with no jobs. This has led to demoralization of most PHOs, as others seek greener pastures outside the country. The time is ripe for Kenyans to hold the Ministry of Health accountable for the deteriorating public health status of this country especi

Okiya Omtata takes the Director of Public Health Dr. Kepha Ombacho to court over integrity issues

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             By Kevin Ndhirangu Human rights activist Okiya Omtata early this month filed a petition (No. 562 of 2017) at the Nairobi High Court, certified as urgent, before Justice John Mativo to the CS for Health, Public Health Officers and Technicians Council, Dr. Kepha Obacho (Director of Public Health and Sanitation), PSC and the AG over the mismanagement of the Public Health Officers and Technicians Council (PHOTC), irregular appointment of independent members of the Council,  exorbitant and discriminatory examination and licensing fees the Council charges Interns, the conduct and integrity of the Director of Public Health/Registrar of the Council Dr. Kepha Ombacho, his irregular re-appointment and rampant corruption in the Department of Environmental Health, Afya House, among others. Omtata (Left) and Director of Public Health Dr. Ombacho The petition came after persistent complaints from a group of Public Health Officers (PHOs) countrywide expressing concerns about