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{
    "id": 1517627,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1517627/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 184,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Joe Nyutu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker. Sir, I also support the Statement by the Senator for Nairobi regarding CHPs. As I do this, I would like to underscore the importance of health in each one of us. We can live without education, but we cannot live without good health. As the House that oversees devolution and health is a devolved function, we must be very keen on matters of health. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, these CHPs are the people that reach our constituents in our furthest counties. They are the people that teach our communities about health, check on their nutrition and provide basic health education. These are servants whose welfare needs to be looked into with a lot of seriousness. When you talk about Kshs2,500 paid by the county government and topped up by the national Government, needless to say, because it has been said, this is very little money considering the effect of inflation and the high cost of living that we continue witnessing in this country. It is important that we enhance this stipend both by the county and the national Government. The other sad thing is that as little as it is, it does not come at the right time. I have had an opportunity to talk to CHPs in my county. The county stipend is delayed by two or three months. However, the stipend or the top up by the national Government, sometimes is delayed to over six months. This is something that we need to look at even as we congratulate the national Government for having accepted to top up. The CHPs sometimes do not have the gadgets that they need. We are going digital in everything. Sometimes you meet them and they tell you that they do not even have batteries for their gadgets. We need to call upon all the 47 county governments, to not only pay the stipend of Kshs2,500 per month in time - if they will not enhance it – but also provide the important gadgets that this group of workers use in their day-to-day work. We should propose this when the committee sits down to look into it. I have been a member of the Standing Committee on Health. However, due to political expediency, I believe I will not continue being a member. We have been very keen on this matter as a committee. One of the things that we should also look into is how we can train these CHPs in order for them to be more equipped with knowledge in matters of health. If and when we train them, we should enhance their stipend, if not pay them a salary."
}