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{
    "id": 1344122,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1344122/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 305,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Suna East, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Junet Mohamed",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "counties will not tell you whether or not they benefitted from the equipment. They were just vendor-driven. The Leader of the Majority Party can bear me witness that, that model has not worked completely. The first clause should be that corruption is punishable by death in the health sector. If there was a clause like that, then the health care providers would do the right thing. The NHIF model was borrowed from the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom (UK). If you go there, you will realise that they still have problems with their system. However, corruption is not one of those problems. The quality of medication a poor person gets is the same as the one a rich man gets. It is all because of NHS. The NHIF was supposed to be a model of the NHS. Until we bite the bullet and deal with the cartels and the corruption in the health sector, even if we bring ten or fifteen Acts of Parliament, nothing will change. I can promise you. There are very good things that have been proposed in this Bill, for example, the Critical Illness Fund, which is very important. Many Kenyans are suffering. There are people who have cancer or diabetes and are not getting the right attention from health care providers. The Fund will help many people. However, in my view, let us also not condemn the whole institution of NHIF. It has also done some good work. Let us sieve the chaff from the wheat. In this Bill, I expected a transition clause that says that when the new institution is created, people who are working in NHIF will no longer be in service, but should be given priority according to their qualifications and competence. Instead of employing 6,000 or 10,000 people… Where will you take all those existing staff? They are also Kenyans. Some of them are competent and diligent. They have worked very well in serving the institution and the country. We should have a transition clause that provides that priority will be given to those people who are working at NHIF and who have a good track record and have done a good job. We should consider people who have dignity and have no corruption cases. Everyone's file is there and it can be perused. The other thing I do not agree with in this Bill is that it proposes that the new institution will outsource claims management to five or so private companies. What will be the work of this institution, if it cannot process the claims? The biggest predicament and problem is corruption in the form of claim processing. Hospitals were getting money that they do not deserve. Now you want to outsource from CIC Insurance Group, Britam Holding PLC and other insurance companies. What is the work of the Board? What is the work of the NHIF? It is not NHIF now. What is the work of the new institution we are creating? Why can we not let the NHIF do it? Those ambiguities must be addressed in this Bill if we are to achieve anything. Nobody on the Floor of this House can oppose any proposal to make the healthcare of Kenyans better. All of us have a duty and are bound to support. You do not know when you will become sick. You might be feeling well today and yet, be the next victim. Only God knows how long you will be healthy. We are duty bound to support any proposal to improve things."
}