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{
    "id": 476709,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/476709/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 430,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Prof.) Nyikal",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 434,
        "legal_name": "James Nyikal",
        "slug": "james-nyikal"
    },
    "content": "The other reason is that Sections 4 and 5 are quite in line with the Constitution and I must appreciate the work that has been done by the Mediation Committee and the Budget and Appropriations Committee. Let me talk about Level 5 hospitals. To begin with, I do not know where people got the idea that the Constitution places Level 5 hospitals under the national Government. What the Constitution talks about is national referral hospitals. There is nowhere, as far as I know, either in law or administratively that defines those national referral hospitals. I am aware of this fact because I headed the committee that came up with these levels. The levels were meant to help us manage the facilities. As it is now, nobody has gone down and said which level belongs where. So, for reasons that I do not know, we have decided that Level 5 hospitals are national hospitals. The Report of the Health Committee stated that we need to look at the issue of Level 5 hospitals. In any case, they serve more than one county. I do not think we need to raise the issue of a referendum at this case. In fact, in the Health Act that we are anticipating, we should be able to correct that. All we have to do is to define the levels of health care in this country and that will determine where they stay. I think we should not hold ourselves back thinking that the only time we can handle the issue of Level 5 hospitals is through the Constitution. That is not necessary, as things stand now. I call upon the governors to release the Kshs.1.87 billion to Level 5 hospitals. The conditional allocation that was given last year was not released to these hospitals. The Health Committee visited Kakamega, Kisumu and Mombasa and in all cases, it found that money was not released to these hospitals. This time, they are worried that they may not receive the allocation. Not only that, as has been indicated by my colleagues in the Budget and Appropriations Committee, the conditional grant was actually swallowed in the Budget with the intention that governors would give it directly to Level 5 hospitals. Then, of course, the Senate turned round and said that is part of the general allocation to the counties. So, we know that in the county allocations, there is also money for health services including Level 5 hospitals. So, I call upon the governors to give Kshs.1.87 The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}