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{
    "id": 1338378,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1338378/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 455,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Funyula, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) Ojiambo Oundo",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Temporary Speaker, as we always say, prevention is better than cure. The role of community health promoters, who were initially known as community health workers or community health volunteers, cannot be over- emphasised. The role that they play in community sensitisation and education has been under- appreciated over the years. I have already discussed with the Chairperson that there are two issues that we need to be very clear about. Clause 9(3) states: “A community health promoter shall be appointed on such terms and conditions as the respective current public service board shall determine.” We hope that the terms of remuneration will be commensurate with the amount of work that they do. There is a provision in Clause 14(2) that we might have to re-look at so that we clearly understand its import. It states: “The national Government shall appropriate and transfer to the county revenue fund of respective county governments such monies as shall be required for the effective performance of their functions under this Act.” We already have a County Allocation of Revenue Bill each financial year. We also have a Division of Revenue Bill each financial year. That particular clause might prove to be a trap that we might have difficulties navigating through. We must also amend Clause 19 to make it compulsory that each primary healthcare network shall have a committee. We should not make it optional. There are other typographical errors that I have pointed out to the Chairperson of the Committee. I will also raise them during the Committee of the whole House so that they are corrected. Finally, community health committees must be facilitated. We must train community health promoters. This is a good Bill. It has actualised what we have been doing on the ground. As stated in Clause 22(3), those who already work as community health volunteers will be given first priority in employment so that we do not have cases where they have slaved for all those years, and then they are ignored. I support the Bill with a few amendments."
}