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{
    "id": 1520875,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520875/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 155,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Barasa",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Health",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1885,
        "legal_name": "Didmus Wekesa Barasa Mutua",
        "slug": "didmus-wekesa-barasa-mutua"
    },
    "content": "countries, including Thailand, on how they were able to make UHC a success in their country. It is indeed critical for us. If you look at various countries, you observe that they raise concerns and grievances on the waiting time and system interruptions, so, this is a common issue. However, one thing that cuts across board on the UHC implementation, all the countries that have implemented say it is better than nothing. They know that if each person can access services, then the country will move forward and we will not have a catastrophic expenditure when it comes to health service delivery for our people. Indeed, it is critical for us to embrace UHC as a country and ensure that we are all in the same page. That is why we emphasise on collaboration with the Senate and other stakeholders to ensure that it is a success. We take note of the infrastructure and equipment. You will notice that part of the pillars of UHC is the health products and technology. In this, we have the National Equipment Support Programme (NESP) project, where we have had multiple counties sign the agreement. There are 45 out of the 47 counties that have signed the agreement. There are 36 counties that have listed down the equipment they need within the facilities. Therefore, this is an area we are looking into. Now, you will also observe that within our country, we are building infrastructure, but we do not have the needed services, human resources or health products. We need to balance, and that is why, as a Ministry, we went back and reviewed what is critical to ensure that human resources and health products are there for the patients. Those are really the critical components that we are looking into. We need some time to look at the comprehensive report and see how we are working together with the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), to ensure that there is recapitalisation and that medicines are reaching the last mile because that has been a challenge. This is especially in Levels 2 and 3; the dispensaries and health centres, where you observe that there is no medicine. People are now moving towards higher levels of care where they need equipment and health products. This poses a challenge because these hospitals with equipment become congested and cannot run fully. Our health centres and dispensaries should have human resources and medications, so people can access services. This is why we need your support even moving forward. We will have a comprehensive report on health products. For infrastructure and equipment, we have the National Equipment Service Programme. Regarding human resources for health, we are looking towards having more human resources for health within the programme and ensuring that they are running and supporting this initiative. So, the personnel are not out of it; it is part of our action plan to ensure that the services continue. We continue to support the building of health centres and ensure their functioning as a country. You will notice even in our annual plan and our budget that we are supporting the development of health centres by emphasising that a health centre is not just a shell or a building. What we need is the services, and for the services to be there, we need health products and human resources. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}