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{
"id": 193500,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/193500/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kimunya",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Finance",
"speaker": {
"id": 174,
"legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
"slug": "amos-kimunya"
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"content": "We shall also employ, through competitive recruitment an additional 1,000 nurses bringing the total number of nurses to be employed in the year 2008 to 1,600. I expect that the deployment of these nurses will improve considerably the services being provided in our healthcare facilities countrywide and reduce the pressure in our referral units. Mr. Speaker, Sir, with regard to improvement of medical supplies, the Government is currently fast-tracking procurement reforms under the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) with a view to improving supplies of drugs and other medical supplies for the facilities countrywide. Just like the internship programme for teachers, an internship programme for health staff is under consideration to utilise once again the qualified staff who are yet to be absorbed into full time employment between their training and the time they actually get employed by the Ministry of Health. Mr. Speaker, Sir, turning on to reduction of vulnerability among Kenyans, the Government established a Kshs1 billion fund early this year to enable the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to fully integrate into productive life. It is, indeed, very encouraging to note that Kenyans and a few development partners heeded the call by His Excellency the President and have supported this initiative by providing direct support in form of cash donations, seeds, fertilisers and farm implements among others. Together with other interventions in agriculture, employment and security, we have allocated a further Kshs500 million to the Fund, to help in the rebuilding and the reconstruction efforts. This is in addition to other funding that is being channelled directly through relief agencies by our partners, details of which we will eventually table before this House. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the 2008/2009 Budget also takes care of the weak and vulnerable among us. Children under five years, pregnant mothers and patients suffering from HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria continue to receive free treatment and drugs in all our health facilities. We now have a programme that provides financial support to the guardians of HIV/AIDS affected orphans. This initiative is expected to grow from 12,500 participating households to more than 30,000 participating households in this fiscal year. This Budget goes a step further to allocate Kshs550 million towards the orphans, vulnerable children and elderly persons under that programme. With regard to the protection of the family and children, we shall also be introducing to this House further amendments to the Children Act for better implementation. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I wish now to turn to the financial out-turn. I want to begin with the financial out-turn for the year 2007/2008. Let me briefly update hon. Members on the out-turn for the year which is just about to end. In terms of revenue, in the last budget, hon. Members will recall that I estimated that the total revenue, including the Local Authority Transfer Fund (LATF), would be at Kshs428.9 billion, comprising Kshs389.2 billion in ordinary revenue and Kshs39.6 billion in Appropriations-in-Aid (A-in-A). I am pleased to report that despite the post-election challenges that our country faced early this year, revenue growth has remained robust. We now expect to exceed that target by Kshs19.9 billion."
}