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{
    "id": 1485030,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1485030/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 292,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Manyatta, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Gitonga Mukunji",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I also rise to support and congratulate Hon. Martin Owino for bringing this Bill. From the onset, I have been privileged because my mother is part of this team of Community Health Promoters (CHPs). I grew up knowing how important it is to have such a person in the village. I have seen her help women to give birth and people with health problems. She is a hero in our village because of what she does. My definition of CHPs is kujituma . Those people have done their work for the longest without the appreciation from the Government. As we are seated here today, we should realise that CHPs have not received their stipend for nearly four months. They found themselves right in the middle of the county and national Governments because of the Bill that was passed here. Some 2,500 CHPs have not received even a single coin from the county governments. So, this Bill has come at the right time. They lack representation in terms of how to bring their views and address the issues that they face in their work. The council will come in handy to ensure that CHPs have representation and can look at emerging issues in this sector. They can also negotiate for good payment. This is very important. The talk of ensuring that we achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has been pronounced in many areas. We want to go for what we call preventive healthcare, instead of curative healthcare. Community health promoters (CHPs) are supposed to be well-trained and well-taken care of to ensure that they help our communities to embrace preventive healthcare. I am happy with the presentations by many Members who have spoken on matters that are related to high blood pressure and diabetes. Those matters can be cured before getting to a level where they cost a family a lot of money. Those are the same measures that we can use to ensure that our informal sector embraces the Social Health Authority and the Social Health Insurance Fund. Community health workers can help us ensure that deep down in mashinani, our communities can pay for health coverage so that they can enjoy the services. The current system for health promoters has left them without negotiating grounds. They have even used Members in this House to table information about the delays in their pay. I am happy that the council is headquartered in Nairobi because it will ensure that they can get their stipend on time. I propose they get their stipend from the Social Health Authority and the Social Health Insurance Fund. They can then be guaranteed no delays when it comes to their payment. If they are well paid, they will do their work without distractions. This is not a part- time job. Those people are on call 24/7. I have seen my mother being woken up at midnight to go and help somebody who needs some support. I call upon Members to support this Bill 100 per cent. I call upon Members to remember the 107,000 community health promoters in our villages. When this Bill is being passed, I request Members to fill this House in their numbers like they did during the impeachment of the Deputy President. All Members should be available to support this Bill. If we pass this Bill, we will be seen as a House that deals with pertinent issues. Let me say something about the use of technology. I was very happy when I heard that the Government was implementing a programme to ensure CHPs have smartphones to facilitate their sharing of information with doctors and nurses. Community health promoters should be kept abreast with matters of diagnosis of diseases that are plaguing our people in the villages. When I sat down with over 500 CHPs in my constituency, I brought them together and formed a SACCO for them. They have embraced that arrangement to ensure that they, at least, earn a living, grow and borrow while they are doing their work. I call upon this House to support this Bill and ensure that our CHPs feel represented in this House."
}