Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 380969,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/380969/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 285,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "would be in chaos if the orders of devolving functions to the counties would be implemented at one go. With regard to the issue of procurement of medicine, Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA), which is still the national body that procures medicine on behalf of the Government; be they vaccines, condoms or other medical equipment, has already purchased equipment and medicine worth Kshs4 billion which is good to go for two years. This has already been purchased. All the money for medicine and equipment and everything else has been sent to the counties. However, counties are already negotiating with suppliers. They have already put advertisements in newspapers and asked for companies to be prequalified to supply medicines, vaccines, gloves and other equipment. Now we have a situation where we have Kshs4 billion worth of medicine lying in the stores of KEMSA. However, money is now being sent to the counties. Obviously, the counties are of the opinion that they will buy what they want from who they want. This is now already a major crisis in our hands. Madam Temporary Speaker, secondly, there is the issue of donor funds. The donors have signed agreements with Treasury. There is the memorandum of understanding or some form of agreement done at Treasury. We know that health is financed to the tune of almost 70 per cent by donors. These donors have very specific areas that they are targeting, whether it is the HIV/AIDS scourge, Tuberculosis programmes or mosquitoes and malaria control. This money has been bundled together and sent to the counties. The Governors and health secretaries are going to use it according to the plans that they have, disregarding that memorandum of understanding that has already been signed between Treasury and donors. Madam Temporary Speaker, all the referral hospitals, like the ones in Nyeri, Kisumu, Nakuru and Mombasa, are within the counties. Anything below Level 5, has been devolved. The hospitals in Mombasa, Eldoret and Kenyatta National Hospital are Level 5. All the other provincial hospitals have now been devolved to the counties. They used to serve various districts which now have become counties. Now, the counties have only their money. How does this facility continue serving this region, yet it is supposed to be financed by only the county in which it is standing? For example, I am sure that Nyeri Provincial Hospital in Nyeri County serves people all the way up to almost Isiolo and Marsabit. Now, Nyeri County is supposed to fund the Nyeri Provincial Hospital. How will that be? Madam Temporary Speaker, the issue of doctors is very critical. Doctors will now be under the Governor. The doctor-patient relationship nationwide is always to the extent that the Director of Medical Services (DMS) is the one who posts doctors, to make sure that even the rural and far remote areas are staffed with doctors. I may be only the third doctor in Isiolo County and have become a politician. I think that the other one has also become a politician. Now, the command for these doctors will be from the Governor. Everybody would like to go maybe to their counties. How do you now rationalize the staffing of facilities by specialized doctors, since the command has moved from the The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}