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{
"id": 1402913,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1402913/?format=api",
"text_counter": 181,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Ms Susan Nakhumicha",
"speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Health",
"speaker": null,
"content": "cadres that need internships, as the Ministry, we have a total of 32 different cadres, all seeking recognition and to be paid for internships. Out of those, only the medical officers, pharmacists, dentists, degree nurses, degree clinical officers and diploma clinical officers are the ones who enjoy stipends so far. As the Ministry works on the policy, we will largely benefit from the wisdom of Hon. Nyikal on what we need to do in recognising the other cadres and enhancing the cadres that are already getting the stipend. Medical insurance by the national Government recognises all medical officers who work for the national Government. We very well know that those officers who work for the national Government either work at the Ministry Headquarters in one of the six referral facilities. Those are the ones that I am confidently saying that the national Government, through the Ministry of Health, has provided them with insurance. I am not in a position to confirm whether counties have indeed given medical insurance to their medical officers. That can only be confirmed by them. From the crisis that has been going on, a number of them, 36, have confirmed having medical insurance. We have asked those that do not have to ensure that they do. Regarding registrars, Hon. Speaker and Hon. Members, we are working on a policy to ensure there is direction from the Ministry of Health. As we train registrars, we must train on skills that are required by the country. We do not want to train an excess in one skill and leave out another. That policy is under development. Regarding payment of interns, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) directed and guided us. The Constitution constituted that body to guide. From the guidelines, they said that it could not be a remuneration. It can only be a stipend. That is how we have recognised it. Hon. Mishi Mboko asked a question on the gross and net salary of an intern, and what has been offered. Initially, an intern was earning Ksh206,000. This includes basic salary and other allowances. That comes to a net of Ksh135,000. Based on the advice from the SRC, it is now a stipend of Ksh70,000. I would like to clarify that none of the interns in session have gotten a reduction. There is no reduction to the interns in session and will be finishing or concluding their internship in June 2024. The new interns we are now posting are going to get in under the terms of the stipend. Hon. Junet asked on the whole-of-the-nation approach. An Hon. Judge of the Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered this. That order is what brought us together. The judge guided on the membership of the whole-of-the-nation approach. In respect and in compliance with the court order, the group under the whole-of-the-nation approach has been meeting to find solutions to this crisis, headed by the Head of the Public Service. Hon. Junet wanted to know how the Ksh70,000 was arrived at. This was a guideline by the SRC. They are the best to explain how the Ksh70,000 was arrived at as a stipend. There is a need to say that they looked at other interns within the nation and informed us that they are getting Ksh25,000. They considered this higher and gave them Ksh70,000. Hon. Zamzam asked a Question on Linda Mama . Because there is a specific Question on Linda Mama, I request to respond to it later because it is a substantive Question. Hon. Mwenje asked about where expectant mothers are going during this time of crisis. I appreciate Hon. Mwenje. Despite being a man, he cares for women. This is personal to me as a woman. As we speak, we have levels of service in the Ministry of Health. We have Level 2, which are dispensaries. They are closest to the people in villages. Services there are on-going. We have Level 3 facilities that are health centres. Services are on-going in those places. Where we are most affected by this crisis is in referral hospitals, which are Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6. We have put measures in place to ensure that emergency services are being attended to. The maternity ward was full when I did a tour of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) last week. All the expectant women around Nairobi City County are now being attended to at the KNH. 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"
}