Health Policy and Planning released a case study on career trajectories and experiences from the perspective of male and female healthcare managers in Kenya. Most research looking into the under-representation of women in the higher professional categories has focused primarily on high-income countries. This qualitative case study seeks to improve the understanding of healthcare leaders career trajectories in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs).
12 male and 13 female healthcare leaders in two counties in coastal Kenya were interviewed on their career progression and related experiences. Although gender was not spontaneously identified as a significant influence, closer exploration of responses revealed that gendered factors played an important role. The study looks into the enablers of career progression, the constraints and the role of professional hierarchies in shaping healthcare leaders.
It discusses the implications of these findings for policy, practice and research, including highlighting the need for more in-depth intersectionality analyses of leadership experience in LMICs.
Photo: A Senior Nurse Officer, speaks with Doris Kwamboka about the importance of nutritious food for pregnant and lactating mothers, in a labour ward at Mukuru Health Centre, Kenya. © UNICEF/Noorani