Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 141116,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/141116/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 228,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the policy and budget documents used included the Vision 2030 and the medium term plan. The MDG Status Report, the budget for 2009, printed estimates for Financial Year 2009/10, budget outlook paper for 2009, 2011 and 2012; the Budget Strategy Paper 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The Economic Survey for 2009 and other relevant documents were also used. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the examination of the Estimates by the Committee was preceded by comprehensive briefing by the National Assembly Budget Office on the crucial areas of the Estimates. Thereafter, the Committee held meetings with the hon. Ministers for the two Ministries in the health sector. During the meetings, the Ministers were accompanied by the Permanent Secretaries and other technical officers in their respective Ministries. The examination mainly dealt with areas with increased allocations, new projects, areas with deficits, absorption capacities by the Ministries and criteria for allocation in each Head. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation is a per capita health spending of US$34 to finance an essential package of health services. Further, the 2009/2010 allocation to the entire sector is about 5.43 per cent of the total Government Budget compared to the Abuja Declaration of 15 per cent and the Economic Recovery Strategy of 12 per cent. The health sector has been allocated Kshs47.011 billion, which is 25.58 per cent of the Human Resource Development Sector. The health budget represents 5.43 per cent of the entire national Budget with most resources, which is 58.58 per cent earmarked for the Ministry of Medical Services while 41.42 per cent will be for Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation. The implementation of the Ministry of Medical Services Strategic Plan requires Kshs47 billion compared to the allocation of Kshs27.5 billion for the year 2009/2010. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the Committee also noted with concern that the Estimates for the Ministry of Medical Services were not based on the Ministry’s Strategic Plan, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework nor the Vision 2030. I will now highlight the areas that we found had major deficits. The areas include, purchase of ambulances with a deficit of Kshs300 million, purchase of drugs has a deficit of Kshs395 million, purchase of medical equipment has a deficit of Kshs2.08 billion, construction of building has a deficit of Kshs1.7 billion, parastatal salaries has a deficit of Kshs3.6 billion, Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) has a deficit of Kshs1.2 billion, the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has a deficit of Kshs2.9 billion and Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) has a deficit of Kshs1.8 billion. The Minister is on record indicating that KEMSA requires these resources. Construction of additional hospitals has a deficit of Kshs35 billion and the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) has a deficit of Kshs950 million. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, a comparison with previous years’ allocations revealed a decrease in allocation, especially under the Recurrent Expenditure which was reduced by Kshs2 billion. This is quite a large figure. The Committee was informed that this was attributed to removal of additional funds granted to the Ministry for payment of pending bills under drugs in the Revised Estimates for 2008/2009. The second was the transfer of personnel to the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation. The decrease in allocation is explained by the two items that have been removed."
}