Addressing the leadership and management needs of health managers in Kenya

In order to enable all health managers to lead in the provision of effective and efficient preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative health care, the Ministry of Medical Services and the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation in Kenya conducted an assessment of the challenges health managers face and the options for preparation that were available to them with the support of Management Sciences for Health and USAID. They found that 95% of all health managers feel that leadership and management are important to very important for effectiveness in their jobs. However, 61% felt they were inadequately prepared or not prepared at all to take on the challenges they face as health managers. The five areas that health managers ranked highest for skills development were: management/administration, leadership, financial management, HR/personnel management, and procurement.

Using the results of the assessment, the ministries assembled stakeholders to devise a national strategy that establishes a pathway to ensure that future health managers will receive the pre-service preparation they need to successfully take on roles as health managers and current health managers will receive the in-service trainings and refreshers they need to face their daily challenges. The strategy is in the final stages of approval. The strategy will institutionalize leadership and management development throughout the Kenyan health system to ensure sustainability. This will be done through action learning approaches and creating career paths for health managers that reflect the importance of the health manager in providing quality care and these positions attract and retain qualified staff.