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{
    "id": 1095085,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1095085/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 201,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Wajir West, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Ahmed Kolosh",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13507,
        "legal_name": "Ahmed Kolosh Mohamed",
        "slug": "ahmed-kolosh-mohamed"
    },
    "content": "used by relatives and friends of the people who should be the holders of the cards and who paid for them. So, we must seal such loopholes. The issue of giving the NHIF Board serious powers to determine the beneficiaries is also vital. We must set checks and balances for the NHIF Board so that they do not get away with some of the punitive measures like penalties on late contributors. It is difficult with this COVID-19 and the economic situation in the country. The self-employed who pay on their own and contribute have difficulties at this moment in time, and should be looked into. Because of the situation in the economy, they cannot contribute. These penalties must be waived in the case one is sick and is in hospital for a long time. He cannot pay or they cannot find an employment or a source of income. These measures should be checked highly. When an insurer benefits someone who does not pay, the thing that is becoming very common is that the beneficiary should be the one paying for the services. Secondly, if the situation in public hospitals is the way it is today, it is useless to collect such revenues and even expect universal healthcare. Before we talk about the insurance, we must talk about the services provided in public hospitals. What can our county referral hospitals offer to patients covered by the NHIF? They do not have x-ray machines and the capacity required. Of course, they are the ones that are available in most areas and counties. Small private health providers are coming up. But public hospitals at the sub-county level or the county referral hospitals are in a very dire need. Even when you say we are going to insure and provide services in hospitals that have nothing, it means it is just beating the purpose. It is not meeting the purpose. I worked there and I know how individuals at the board can be. The issue of giving sweeping powers to the NHIF Board is going to be counterproductive. These individuals must be checked. We know the history of corruption. Of course, we know of the Kshs30 million spent in a day on some women meeting when Hon. Charity Ngilu was the Minister. We also know when the CEO was fired. In one year, we saved Kshs3 billion and surplus. When the Government and people with influence wanted to eat that money and we resisted, the next morning he found himself on the streets. So it is important that we seal all the loopholes, whether Government controlled or individuals who are nominated by the Executive. Before I became a Member of Parliament, I thought Members of Parliament can do a lot. When I saw situations not going the right way, I wondered what our Members were doing. When I came here and I learnt that most Members follow the Executive and are not here to represent seriously, I found out special interests and individual interests overtake national interests. Although people here are elected to represent the people, they serve a lot of other interests. I support and urge that we amen the provision on the serious powers given to the board."
}