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{
"id": 1129181,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1129181/?format=api",
"text_counter": 576,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Kilome, WDM-K",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Thuddeus Nzambia",
"speaker": {
"id": 13375,
"legal_name": "Thaddeus Kithua Nzambia",
"slug": "thaddeus-kithua-nzambia"
},
"content": "To realise Vision 2030 which is premised on three pillars, namely, economic, social and political, the Government of Kenya is more committed to shifting the bias of national health approaches from curative to preventive health to improve the quality of life of all Kenyans. Similarly, the Parliamentary Service Commission Strategic Plan 2019-2030 aligned its vision to 2030 and the subsequent Big Four Agenda. Notably, some of the strategic objectives support the wellness of Members and staff of Parliament. More so, the plan envisions to create an enabling environment to facilitate Members of Parliament to effectively and efficiently discharge their constitutional mandate as provided in the following strategic objectives: One, Strategic Objective Number 10 on excellence in service delivery considers the wellness of Members and the staff of Parliament for efficient service delivery. Strategic Objective 17 embraces a green-compliant Parliament which envisions adopting the implementation of modern waste recycling technologies in Parliament. Strategic Objective 18 creates a Parliamentary Square of modern facilities and a secure working environment to provide adequate facilities and securities for Members and staff of Parliament. Just towards conclusion and in view of the above, the Committee recommends that a comprehensive one-stop preventive health unit be established within Parliament. It will be to offer early detections, referral services and to plan the coordination of current and the future imagined events. Although the Commission is always committed to the welfare of Members and staff as demonstrated through provision of a comprehensive medical scheme, there is significant evidence regarding the burden of disease attributable to the environment and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), poor health habits of many workers, growing rates of chronic diseases and the rising cost of health services that necessitate creation of wellness programmes to cater for health risk assessments and screenings. It is, therefore, imperative to put more emphasis on health programmes that seek to improve the quality of life of Members and staff of Parliament while at the same time reducing the rising cost for employees’ healthcare. Indeed, studies have shown that corporate wellness or wellbeing wellness programmes are successful in helping workers make positive health changes due to several factors such as convenience, environment support and co- worker or social acceptance. Deployment of a public health specialist from the Ministry of Health to Parliament was not only well timed just before the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic, but it was also a great milestone in the realisation of mitigation measures. The Commission could consider guaranteeing the gains by establishing a full-fledged health and wellness unit within its control. Urgent matters such as COVID-19 tests and vaccination would be effectively and efficiently handled from within. The recommendation to form a health unit is informed by the gaps identified in practice. Addressing these gaps will inform effective implementation of the PSC Strategic Plan 2019-2030. There is inadequate coordination of health functions due to lack of technical health expertise in wellness, food safety and quality control, sanitisation, environment and waste management, health promotion and education empowerment, pest control, emergency response during public events, health risk assessments, among others. Comparatively, Safaricom PLC, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the Kenya Pipeline operate in-house health services. The same can be done by Parliament. From the foregoing, the Committee observes that for effective and efficient execution of duties bestowed upon Parliament, safety, wellbeing and wellness of Members of Parliament is of paramount importance. The proposed health and wellness unit could consist of two sub-units, namely, a health section that deals with clinical and public health issues and a wellness section The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}