Author: Web Desk

The Narok County government is currently conducting a staff audit to establish the actual number of county staff, their qualifications and capacities as well as weed out ghost workers. Addressing the press during the launch of the exercise at Narok county offices, Governor Patrick Ntutu said the biometric audit would also establish the employee suitability for the jobs they are currently undertaking and whether there are positions that have inadequate or excessive staff. ‘The registration will establish whether the number of staff in our records conform to the number of staff that can be physically accounted for and verified,’ added Ntutu. The Governor noted the registration is necessary to guide the county government on reducing the wage bill that currently stood at 34 percent of the county government’s budget. ‘Currently, the county government has a wage bill that takes 34% of the budget. The law sets the limit at 35%, which therefore means we are only 1% below the limit,’ said Ntutu. Ntutu said the importance of the exercise is to increase efficiency in the county government by ensuring employees have requisite skills for the jobs they do adding: ‘The audit will ensure the most suitable employees are deployed where they will be most effective and productive.’ However, the registration he added will also help the county government eliminate wastage of resources by identifying areas where county government payroll can be downsized as well as fighting against corruption and theft of state resources by identifying ghost workers. Governor Ntutu directed the employees to participate in the exercise warning severe disciplinary action against those who will fail to physically avail themselves. The three-week exercise is being undertaken by AGMOND International Consultants, a Human Resource body. AGMOND is mandated to establish how many workers the county actually has, any variance with the payroll and other records on behalf of the county government. The employees are required to present originals and copies of appointment letters on joining the government, letter for current positions, National Identity Card, pay slips, and academic and professional certificates.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The government has reiterated its commitment to creating an environment that enforces good governance and support effective and efficient regulation of organ donation and transplantation in the country. Medical Services PS Harry Kimtai, said the Ministry of Health supports optimizing the provision of transplant services through training and provision of equipment because it is a resource specialty with great demand in the country. He said the program as mandated by law, seeks to cater to both living and deceased organ donations, and assured that no financial transactions or rewards shall be involved in acquiring an organ due to the inherent risks involved. ‘Any individual found engaging in trafficking organs and coercion activities will face severe consequences,’ warned Kimtai. The PS made the remarks Tuesday in a speech read on his behalf by a senior officer from the Ministry of Health Dr. Zainab Zura, during the World Transplant Day celebrations held at Kenyatta National Hospital grounds. He said this year’s theme, Hope for Tomorrow: Transforming lives through organ donation, captures the essence of the government and partners efforts to bring hope, healing and a new lease of life to those in need. Kimtai at the same time said that the government was exploring innovative approaches to increase the number of donors, besides creating awareness on the importance of organ donation. The PS said the government is partnering with various stakeholders to establish a robust system for organ retrieval, preservation, banking and transplantation, while collaborating with hospitals, healthcare professionals and the public. ‘A national registry will be established to enroll potential donors and recipients, this will ensure transparency, accountability and equitable distribution of these invaluable scare resources,’ he added. ‘As we embark on his noble journey, we must ensure that medical practitioners adhere to the highest ethical standards in their practices,’ he stressed, adding that the sanctity of life and the well-being of both donors and recipients must always be at the forefront of the efforts. The event that was organized by Kenya Tissue Transplant Authority (KTTA) and Kenyatta National Hospital and promoted by the World Health Organization is celebrated annually as a reminder that there are people around the world who are alive because of organ transplants. The PS cited the establishment of the Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority (KTTA) and the Human Leukocyte Antigens typing laboratory at Kenyatta National Hospital by the government as a significant milestone that will ensure quality and ethical practices are adhered to. Studies indicate that approximately 5 million Kenyans have some form of chronic kidney disease with a significant proportion expected to progress to kidney failure. In his remarks, the Ag.Chief Executive Officer KTTA, Dr. Maurice Wakwabubi noted that apart from kidney cases, an estimated 75,000 people need corneal transplants. Studies indicate that over 1,000 documented patients on the waiting lists across the various eye hospitals in the country are awaiting corneal transplantation. In 2021, about 400 corneal transplant surgeries were successfully conducted in Kenya. It also indicates that a total of 12,500 patients with End Stage Kidney Disease require kidney transplant. By October 2022, a total of 6,300 patients with Kidney disease were undergoing chronic hemodialysis treatments. According to medical practitioners, Kidney transplant is always preferred for patients who are eligible for such procedures as it improves patients’ quality of life, and productivity and can increase life expectancy by up to 20 years.

Source: Kenya News Agency

The Chantal Biya Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment and engagement to continue with the provision of efficient actions to help the sick, the needy and the most disadvantaged in Cameroon.

This was affirmed during the fundraising gala dinner organised by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in Yaounde on Saturday, June 3, 2023, in which Mrs Chantal BIYA was the guest of honour.

First Lady Chantal Biya’s charitable and humanitarian actions were highly acclaimed by the head of the order’s diplomatic mission to Yaounde and the special representative of Fra’ John Dunlap, Grand Master of the Order of Malta. It was revealed that the programme to cater for children suffering from cancer at the Chantal BIYA Foundation touched the lives of 1,200 kids last year. The positive result of this collaboration was a major booster for both institutions to reaffirm this engagement.

The fundraising unfolded through the auction sale of a 60kg bag of Arabic Coffee, a painting, metal and wood structures, calabashes and more that generated the sum of about 30 MFCFA.

The event, attended by 280 invitees, was marked by a successful auction sale – whose proceeds will be put at the disposal of three main projects run by the charity body in Cameroon.

These organs include the Saint John of Malta Hospital in Njombe, the Children’s Cancer Centre of the Chantal BIYA Foundation in Yaounde, and the Roham Chabot Centre for Leprosy and Child Care in Mokolo.

The Ambassador of Malta said, ” I am grateful to the first lady for honouring us with her presence without which we may not have had the joy, excitement and support for our humanitarian activities and this charity dinner is the first of its kind in Cameroon”.

The First Lady, Chantal Biya later on Monday, June 5, 2023, visited the Chantal Biya Foundation where she was received by the Secretary-General and some important dignitaries from the Sovereign Order of Malta.

Source: Cameroon News Agency