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{
    "id": 1521245,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1521245/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 126,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kikuyu, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Kimani Ichung’wah",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "This week, the Association of Private Health Hospitals and the Rural Private Health Association called their members to go on strike because of the pending bills. I am glad that when I checked with the SHA management this morning, they told me that as of yesterday when the strike kicked off, 1,700 private hospitals that are members of those associations were already logged into the system and offering services to Kenyans. In the spirit of trade unions and politics of leadership of associations, it is good to be seen agitating for things. Those associations must know that healthcare is not a matter to joke with. Joking with healthcare matters would be joking with the lives of Kenyans. Regarding relaying proper and accurate information to Kenyans, I encourage the Committee, the SHA management and the Ministry of Health to consider enhancing the publicity and advertising budget for SHA. Partly, Kenyans are being misled because they have not been given factual information, especially on primary healthcare and the referral healthcare system. If you go to the United Kingdom, the National Health Service (NHS) works under a referral system. As Hon. Nyikal said, one may walk into a primary healthcare facility, and his entire Bill is settled. However, when someone else walks into a referral hospital, his Bill is not fully catered for. This confusion arises because many do not understand that the process begins at a primary healthcare facility, from where patients are referred through the system to Level 4, 5 or 6 hospitals. Hon. Speaker, I encourage the Committee to continue working with the Ministry and the SHA management to address the imperfections in this system. Universal health coverage has been elusive in this country. We have been talking about it since you were in the Cabinet under the able leadership of the late President Mwai Kibaki. During Mwai Kibaki’s regime, we attempted to roll out universal health care, but it came a cropper because of negativity. President Uhuru Kenyatta also tried. Again, because of the noise and negativity you hear today, he had to run away from it. It was abandoned after being implemented in only four counties— Kisumu, Isiolo, Machakos, and Nyeri. We do not have the luxury of time to abandon the quest for universal health coverage at the altar of political expediency. We must encourage President William Ruto, the SHA management, the Cabinet Secretary in charge of health and our own Departmental Committee on Health to midwife this process with courage, knowing that what they are doing is good for Kenyans. At the end of the day, when we are assured of universal health coverage, every Kenyan will live a peaceable, healthy and productive life. With those remarks, I support the Report by the Chairman."
}