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{
    "id": 498658,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/498658/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 348,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "We may push and urge but at times we do not even know what a report is saying and whether the things in it are good or bad. It is always good, in the service sectors to try and liaise and work together in both Houses so that when we have a report, we all agree on one issue and how to assist Kenyans. We also need to ask ourselves whether the National Assembly has, indeed, given a good allocation of funds this time round to the health sector. You will find that we give money but the money goes to administration and policy work. The reason you find doctors and health practitioners being very angry is because most resources are left somewhere hanging. They then have to ask themselves how they should work. We need to thank God that today Kenya is safe from Ebola. I want to thank the Committee on Health that will go to the borders tomorrow to look at how prepared we are so that they also bring us a report. They will tell us whether we have doctors, whether they are skilled and if they have been trained. I know the Committee on Devolved Government will stand firm and say that health matters have been devolved. It is the Senate to ask how we should assist medical practitioners to ensure that their remuneration package remains the way it has been, they will still get their annual incrementsand that their pensions are safeguarded. I know that by the time we agreed with the Governors to devolve the health sector, those are the questions that Senators were asking. How do you safeguard practitioners not to feel vulnerable within their duties especially when it comes to their pay? I know that we played a lot of politics. I know that at times, we are engaged in a volatile manner with the governors. However, at the end, we all agreed that since we had devolved the function, it was for us to unpackage and debunk the functions in an acceptable way. Therefore, as I support, I hope that the Mover of the Motion will follow up on this matter. We must get a clear report that shows us, right from the time we devolved the health sector to date, its achievements and challenges. I know that in the Committee on Devolved Governments, we have ensured that we have consultancy that we have given out. We will have a clear report on the same. We are doing this for all the sectors that were devolved under the Fourth Schedule. I hope that this will help the House to understand where we are and our challenges. We have many challenges in the health sector. I know that we have governors who are not following the law. Some of them have decided to reallocate the same monies for health to a different sector which is another issue that we need to deal with as we look into the reports. The issue of drugs is very critical in all hospitals at the moment. The facilities are also wanting. However, we have some which are okay. I know that the District Hospital in Mandera is doing very well. They have employed more than 22 doctors who are doing very well. This is something that we need to look into. We need to look at each county and how they are moving on. The counties that will suffer – where we have a huge number of practitioners – are the ones which were operating under provinces. Those hospitals are really suffering. When you visit the referral hospitals, you will find that there is a lot that is wanting. 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."
}