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{
    "id": 1412913,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1412913/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 339,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Ms. Susan Nakhumicha",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Health",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "On the issue of whether we have done a survey or not, we have the Kenya Demographic Survey that is done after every five years. Hon. Speaker and Hon. Members, I confirm that under the devolved system of government, we have positive outcomes on health. For example, the maternal mortality rate has reduced; the infant mortality rate has reduced. There is clear indication that the distances that were being travelled by Kenyans to access services have reduced based on the health facilities that have been put in place by the county governments. Having said that, I think there is an opportunity then for us to have a national conversation on all those areas, especially the other functions that are being done by the county governments and see then how best we can remedy if there are gaps in the implementation. Hon. Speaker, on the issue raised by Hon. Muthoni, as a Ministry, we gazetted the Transitional Committee and we expect a seamless transition there. However, we know that there could be challenges here and there, and the biggest risk we have identified as a Ministry is the unpaid claims. We are in discussion with the National Treasury to ensure that those claims are paid so that they do not impede the transition from National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). I also want to confirm that under SHIF, there is no pre-authorisation that is needed for emergency care. If you need emergency care, there is no pre-authorisation that should be provided. Under the existing NHIF, there was selection of facilities and that is one of the items that we dispensed with in the SHIF. There is no more selection of facilities by Kenyans. If you are registered, you will get services wherever and whenever you are. We are going ahead with digitisation to integrate all services and ensure that there is movement and portability of patient data. That should a patient want to move from one facility to the other, they do not have to carry exercise books. They do not have to remember anything. They will find their data available at their next level of service. Equally, the ideal situation is that patients should manage their information on their mobile phones. That is an ideal situation that we hope to move to into the future. On the question from Hon. Farah on Health Services Commission, Hon. Speaker and Members, I think this has been a question generally in the public, but the creation of a Health Services Commission is beyond the mandate of the Ministry of Health. I want to believe that during this time and crisis, when we have the whole-of-the-nation approach, we are going to listen to all suggestions. If indeed, it is determined that a Health Services Commission is the cure of the perennial issues that we have, I believe the responsible arms of Government will then be able to start a conversation. Having said that, the Kenya Kwanza Government operationalised the Kenya Health Human Resource Advisory Council. It is meant to manage the human resource for health and manage the distribution of different cadres across the counties. All we need are resources to finance that. On the question by Hon. Beatrice Elachi, I have already confirmed that we have an issue with the claims. However, I want to believe that once we receive the resources that we are expecting this week, from next week we can start payments. I also want to confirm that payment of claims is a continuous exercise. In the last year only, NHIF paid out a total of Ksh36 billion in terms of claims. It is thus a continuous exercise. Where we have specific cases as a Ministry, we are ready and we shall be looking into the specific issues that have been raised so that we can handle them. I would like to confirm that the Kenya Kwanza Government has a plan on delivering Universal Health Coverage (UHC). As a Ministry, we have clarity on what we need to do to deliver. We have worked on the commodities through the reforms at Kenya Medical Supply 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"
}