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{
    "id": 1412713,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1412713/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 139,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ms. Susan Nakhumicha",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Health",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "4. In the Financial Year 2023/2024, the Ministry posted 4,156 medical interns in July 2023 at a cost of Ksh4.3 billion. Those interns are due to complete their internship in June 2024. 5. Secured Ksh2.3 billion to post 3,759 medical interns according to the SRC advisory rates. However, there are challenges in implementing some of the provisions, including the area of internship. Those challenges will be addressed in the new cycle of negotiations on the CBA, which is ongoing. It is also important to note that a good number of those aspects of the CBA need to be implemented by county governments. The third Question asks us to outline the steps being taken to resolve the recent dispute and end the strike to ensure un-interrupted healthcare delivery. The Ministry is taking various steps and measures to resolve the ongoing strike. The measures being taken have been categorised into immediate and short-term, medium-term and long-term as detailed below: In the short-term and immediate: 1. The Ministry has posted all interns with effect from 2nd April 2024 based on revised rates by the SRC. All the interns ought to have reported to their internship centres by 15th April 2024. The Ministry is in the process of collecting returns from the respective internship centres. We shall be able to report on how many interns have reported in a few days. However, we can confirm in the affirmative that clinical officers (diploma interns) have reported and we have returns at the Ministry. 2. The Ministry has requested Ksh267 million for payment of post-graduate registrars' fees arrears. I can confirm that the Ministry has received a confirmation from the National Treasury this week of Ksh200 million that will be given to the Ministry to pay those arrears. 3. The Ministry has also requested the SRC to advise on the demand by the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) to have their risk allowance increased from Ksh3,000 to Ksh15,000. This is a 500 per cent increase. The Ministry awaits guidance from the SRC. We shall incorporate the guidance we receive into the budget so that we effect it once it is approved. 4. The Ministry has requested the Public Service Commission (PSC) to review the clinical officers’ Career Progression Guidelines. 5. The medical laboratory officers who have joined the doctors' strike do not have a recognition agreement with the Government. The Ministry has written to them citing the criteria required for them to be recognised as a union. We wait for them to return having met the criteria, and then we start the process of recognition. Those are the immediate and short-term measures. Under the medium-term measures: 1. The Ministry of Health is reviewing the internship policy to address aspects of the programme, including the need for students to transit to internship without any delays. The internship policy will be finalised within April 2024. I am happy to report that the Ministry undertook internal stakeholder validation yesterday and it went very well. We shall be proceeding to external stakeholder validation next week to receive their comments. 2. The Ministry is going on with the CBA negotiations. The 2017 CBA lapsed in 2021. Therefore, we are in the process of negotiating a new CBA to be signed. 3. The Ministry is also actively participating in the Whole-of-the-Nation- Approach discussions that were ordered by a Judge of the Employment and Labour Relations Court. 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"
}