Thesis Title: Occupational Safety and Health Administration Practices and Healthcare Service Delivery Among Staff in The Ministry of Health in Busia County, Kenya.

Student’s Name: Nancy Nafula Simiyu             

Supervisors Names:

1. Kadian Wanyonyi Wanyama
2. Obino Paul Ong’anyi

ABSTRACT

The Ministry of Health in Busia County faces critical challenges in various areas,including treatment errors, patient safety, employee safety, safety climate, environmental variability, degree of competition, shortage of qualified labor, high labour turnover, inadequate resources, and high cost of employee replacement in the health sector. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate the influence of occupational safety and health practices on health service delivery among staff in the Ministry of Health Busia County, Kenya. The specific objectives of this study were: to determine the influence of health and safety training on health servicedelivery, to examine the influence of health and safety audit on health service delivery, to evaluate the influence of occupational hazards prevention on health service delivery and to determine the influence of safety procedures and risk management on service delivery among staff in the Ministry of Health in Busia County. This study adopted descriptive research design. The target population consisted of 13 Administration staff, two (2) County Health Chief Officers (CO), three (3) Directors of Health, two (2) County Health Human Resource Managers, 13 Nursing Officers, 13 Health Administrators, 582 nurses, 12 Clinical Officers and 14 Health Records Information Officers. A sample of 284 employees was derived. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data and a pilot study conducted to pre-test questionnaires for validity and reliability. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed as the main data analysis methods using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS Version 20). Findings of the study showed that health and safety training, health and safety audit, occupational hazards prevention and safety procedures and risk management had direct positive relationship with the health service delivery in Busia County. The conclusions of the study were: health and safety training should be very efficient and practiced in Busia County to improve service delivery. Safety inspection should be carried out on regular basis by the line managers and supervisors with the advice and help of safety and health advisers. Routine inspection for all premises for possible safety and health problems, using checklist as aids should be in place. Organization should be committed to provision of equipment and safety glasses, helmets, boots, gloves, masks, jumpsuits and shoes, accidents, damages and less absenteeism would reduce and increase in revenue due to better productivity, efficiency, quality and effectiveness and use of safety-related procedures, following instructions and stopping operation of equipment in an attempt to prevent injuries would reduce rates of accidents and improve service delivery. Therefore, the following were recommendations of the study: The County Government of Busia County should seriously consider and implement effectively health and safety training, health and safety audit, occupational hazards prevention and safety procedures and risk management to enhance service delivery. Workplace safety should be considered by the County Government as an important operational priority in addition to cost, quality, flexibility, delivery, and innovation to save lives and improve service delivery the study would help the County government and other employers who had the legal responsibilities to provide safe workplaces and systems of work, adopt occupational health safety management system.