ArticleBMC health services research2022
Management of human resources for health: implications for health systems efficiency in Kenya.
Article in BMC health services research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 48 citations in OpenAlex.
- Assessing the impact of anaesthetic and surgical task-shifting globally: a systematic literature review.Health policy and planning · 2023Pooled it
- From devolution to post-COVID-19 UHC scoping review of human resource for health reforms in Kenya: a signalling and sensemaking analysis.Frontiers in health services · 2026Article
- A qualitative study of perceived facilitators and barriers to adoption of continuous quality improvement in Western Kenya using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Comparing the risk of maternal and perinatal complications among women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy to normotensive women: an institution-based cohort review in Kenya.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Optimizing the health workforce for Universal Health Coverage: a framework for analysis and action.Human resources for health · 2025Article
- Perspectives and Experts of Human Resource Management in Nursing During Disasters and Emergencies: A Qualitative Content Analysis.Nursing research and practice · 2025Article
- Modelling the health labour market outlook in Kenya: Supply, needs and investment requirements for health workers, 2021-2035.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Assessing Access to and Utilization of the Advanced Diagnostic and Management Equipment for Early Keratoconus in Public and Private Healthcare Facilities Across Nyanza and Western Kenya.Clinical optometry · 2025Article
- Learning from the Kenyan experiment: key takeaways for implementing managed equipment services in developing countries.Frontiers in health services · 2025Article
- Do cash or digital payment modalities affect community health worker performance? - a case study of a remote refugee settlement in Western Uganda.Global health action · 2024Article
- An analysis of factors influencing technical efficiency of health expenditures in China.Health economics review · 2024Article
- Article
- The impact of the scale and hierarchical structure of health human resources on the level of medical services-based on China's four major economic regions.International journal for equity in health · 2024Article
- Human resources for health and maternal mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean over the last three decades: a systemic-perspective reflections.International journal for equity in health · 2024Article
- General ward nurses detection and response to clinical deterioration in three hospitals at the Kenyan coast: a convergent parallel mixed methods study.BMC nursing · 2024Article
- Deconcentrating regulation in low- and middle-income country health systems: a proposed ambidextrous solution to problems with professional regulation for doctors and nurses in Kenya and Uganda.Human resources for health · 2024Article
- Modelling the Wage Bill and Budget Space for Health Workforce in Ghana: Implications for Sustainable Health Professions Education Policy.Health services insights · 2024Article
- Estimation of the lost productivity to the GDP and the national cost of correcting visual impairment from refractive error in Kenya.PloS one · 2024Article
- Human resource management (HRM) strategies of medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.Heliyon · 2023Review
- Examining the absorption of post-internship medical officers into the public sector at county-level in devolved Kenya: a qualitative case study.BMC health services research · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundHuman resources for health consume a substantial share of healthcare resources and determine the efficiency and overall performance of health systems. Under Kenya's devolved governance, human resources for health are managed by county governments. The aim of this study was to examine how the management of human resources for health influences the efficiency of county health systems in Kenya.
methodsWe conducted a case study using a mixed methods approach in two purposively selected counties in Kenya. We collected data through in-depth interviews (n = 46) with national and county level HRH stakeholders, and document and secondary data reviews. We analyzed qualitative data using a thematic approach, and quantitative data using descriptive analysis.
resultsHuman resources for health in the selected counties was inadequately financed and there were an insufficient number of health workers, which compromised the input mix of the health system. The scarcity of medical specialists led to inappropriate task shifting where nonspecialized staff took on the roles of specialists with potential undesired impacts on quality of care and health outcomes. The maldistribution of staff in favor of higher-level facilities led to unnecessary referrals to higher level (referral) hospitals and compromised quality of primary healthcare. Delayed salaries, non-harmonized contractual terms and incentives reduced the motivation of health workers. All of these effects are likely to have negative effects on health system efficiency.
conclusionsHuman resources for health management in counties in Kenya could be reformed with likely positive implications for county health system efficiency by increasing the level of funding, resolving funding flow challenges to address the delay of salaries, addressing skill mix challenges, prioritizing the allocation of health workers to lower-level facilities, harmonizing the contractual terms and incentives of health workers, and strengthening monitoring and supervision.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.