Factors Influencing Growth of Healthcare Infrastructures in Nakuru County ,

Abstract

Healthcare in Kenya is facing many problems such as too much waiting time in queues by patients due to shortage of healthcare providers, few healthcare facilities, distances from the available healthcare facilities, and cost of service delivery which most common Kenyans are unable to afford due to their levels of income which are too low. The challenge of growth in healthcare infrastructure remains the big question in both the minds of policy makers and Kenyans; in that the commitment by the central government for universal healthcare for all Kenyans to have accessible and affordable healthcare is not felt down in the county of Nakuru hence her residence are experiencing the problem of healthcare infrastructure. This is supported by the distance the residence of Nakuru county walk to get health services with an average distance to the nearest health facility being 8 kilometers, the doctor to patient ratio of 1:31251which is far less than the World Health Organization (WHO) prescribed limit of 1:1000 and also the mushrooming of private clinics in the county. These challenges prompt the study on the factors influencing growth of healthcare infrastructures in Nakuru County. New growth theory which holds knowledge and technology as drivers of growth, diffusion of innovation theory where new ideas are adapted which brings change to growth, needs theory by Abraham Maslow and leadership traits theory formed the foundation of the study. The study was to determine the factors influencing growth of healthcare infrastructures in Nakuru County by examining the relationship therein between innovation, technology, the leadership and employee’s motivation with this growth. Descriptive research design was used by the study. This allowed the researcher to gather information in a manner that reduced cost of data collection also the design gave narration of facts and characteristics concerning individuals, groups and situations which were helpful in the research. Target population of the study was all 795 employees from the 15 hospitals below level five and 23 health centers distributed in the Nakuru County according to data from the county health department which comprised of 111 doctors, 142 clinical officers and542 nurses where stratified random sampling was used to get the research sample. The sample design was stratified as the population was not homogeneous. A questionnaire was used as an instrument to collect the primary data where closed ended questions were administered to the sample of 237 respondents under study. Data collected was analyzed with the use of multiple linear regression and descriptive analysis which was conducted to test the relationship of the independent variables with growth. Findings of the study revealed that innovation, technology, leadership, employees’ motivation and quality management did not significantly contribute to the growth of healthcare infrastructure in Nakuru County. The study recommended that there is need to adapt innovation and embrace technology in the health sector, to have a strategic leadership which offers a competitive edge to health facilities and motivate employees through recognition and awards. Further research on the study should be conducted to find out the extent of level of innovation and technology and the effect of the aging manpower in the health sector which the study did not carry.