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{
    "id": 1078732,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1078732/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 254,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Murang’a CWR, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Ms.) Sabina Chege",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 884,
        "legal_name": "Sabina Wanjiru Chege",
        "slug": "sabina-wanjiru-chege"
    },
    "content": "The issue of alternative space to be given to that mental health also came up as we did the budget. We hope that the Ministry of Lands will issue Mathari Hospital with a title deed so that they are able to plan on expanding the hospital. The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) is also expanding payments to Mathari and other facilities. We are hoping that as we give money to the NHIF, they can also make sure that they pay those facilities. One of the challenges with the counties and devolved government is that when money is reimbursed to the facilities; that money is not directly reimbursed even if it is a Linda Mama money or the NHIF reimbursement. This money goes to the county coffers. The governors can decide to do anything else with that money. So, one of our recommendations is that we should look at the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act so that the money that is meant for health goes back to the facilities. An example is in my county. I have Maragwa Hospital that is very good with maternal health, but once they attend to these mothers and they give them services, the money does not come back to them. Then they are not able to give good services. That is why you find somebody has Linda Mama and we are telling our ladies that it is free to deliver, then you find that basic things like cotton wools are not available in these facilities. This is only because the money does not go directly to these facilities. Part of our recommendation is that this money can go straight to these facilities. Another challenge that we have faced on which we have done some policy recommendations and it is part of this Budget is that we have a solution for the doctors who go for training at master’s level and come to the national facilities and leave counties. Our counties are struggling because they continue paying doctors who come for training yet they are not able to give services to that county. So, part of our policy recommendation is that we have money for training. It is going to be given to the Kenyatta National Hospital, the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) and the Kenyatta University Hospital, and even Mathari Hospital. That is so that when doctors come for training here, the national Government can take care of them because they will be serving their facilities. Governors can have a chance to employ new doctors who can replace them and give services. Currently, if one county has two or three doctors doing their master’s degrees, services are below what is expected. As we talk about the Universal Health Care (UHC), how will we achieve it if we do not even have enough doctors within our facilities? We have also noted a trend amongst Members, in almost all constituencies. Every constituency wants to have a Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC). We have recommended to the ministry to give us a policy on where to establish KMTCs. With the current budget, we cannot sustain that. If each of the 290 constituencies has a KMTC, where will we get teachers to teach these students? Will we even have enough? That is so that we are able to know the numbers and also facilitate them accordingly. As I conclude, I just want to say that this year’s Budget has really looked at many things. We also urge the National Treasury that the requests and the amendments that are done by the Committees be taken seriously because we take time to interact with them."
}