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{
    "id": 1242584,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1242584/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 66,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "that kind of a discussion. What made me want to comment is because I know this House has Members of the Committee on Health. If you read Schedule Four of our Constitution, health is a devolved function. My biggest concern is that the country is having a conversation about health without the voice of the Senate. I wish to challenge our colleagues who serve in the Committee on Health, either by way of Statement or whatever proposal they want to give this House, to at least be part of this conversation. These are the opportunities that we continue to miss and then complain later that the Senate is being ignored or bypassed. I want to say this with all due respect to Sen. Joe Nyutu. I respect his question, which is valid and I hope he gets the answer. However, as a Committee of the Senate dealing with a function that is heavily devolved, we need to rise beyond this investigation of just saying a doctor has done this or that. There is a serious national policy discussion that is going on with Kenyans divided depending on whichever side of the conversation that entices their feelings and thoughts, but without the voice of the Senate. I would like to hear from Members of the Committee on Health if they have conducted an audit of how this function has so far been undertaken and the challenges being faced. It cannot just be monetary because money is not the answer to all problems. We must live in reality and know that there is no day we will say that a particular function has been fully funded and, therefore, there are no problems anymore. It may be a big contributor, but there are other things such as standards of practice. I know doctors because one of them is a friend. The best student that I went to school with from Form One to Four is called Dr. Kenneth Shinga Mwarabu. He used to be number one in class and scored an A in every subject. Each time he comes to my office, I feel embarrassed because I know he did way better than me and perhaps deserves to live a more decent life, but just because he is a medical doctor--- Sometimes when you transfer services--- Like one time he had moved from Elgeyo- Marakwet to Bomet County and stayed without a salary for close to six months. He was being told that a particular service is not recognised. These are not issues to do with remuneration; they are issues of policy. I expect that apart from just responding to the question by Sen. Joe Nyutu, our Committee on Health should help us as a House by guiding the discussion, so that when I make my voice known, whether in support or otherwise, to the discussion that is going on in the public, I do it from an informed perspective. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, read the Fourth Schedule on devolved functions such as health. There are issues such as facilities, ambulance services and primary health care for which I have seen policy documents on the Universal Health Care (UHC). That is a discussion that is alive in our country. There is a proposal to hire more than 100,000 community health promoters. What is the place of county governments in that conversation and what is their contribution? I was worried that Sen. Mandago might not be in the House, but I am glad he is here. I was happy that Sen. Mandago became the Chairperson of the Committee on Health"
}