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    "id": 596732,
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    "content": "I would also like to say one more thing about the Director-General (DG). As a Committee, we feel this office is extremely important to the country. We will bring amendments where the DG must be competitively selected, vetted and appointed by different existing institutions and various stakeholders within the health sector. We also need to ensure that there is proper guarantee of independence of the statements that the DG may make. As I said earlier, these statements may not be palatable to some people, but could be decisions meant to save the country. Hon. Speaker, given the distinctness and the interdependence of the two levels of Government and bearing in mind that health is a concurrent function, the Committee is of the opinion that there is need for an intergovernmental mechanism where we ensure that decisions made at the national level are reflected at the county level. This will ensure that counties are comfortable with this Bill. We have ensured that all other stakeholders have been exposed to the Bill as much as possible. There seems to be lack of clear strategy and approach on how resources that are meant for health are being used within the national and the county levels. This Bill has made an effort to ring-fence funds meant for health at both the national and county levels. As you are aware, we have signed various international treaties. We are working towards the Abuja Declaration of having 15 per cent of our Budget committed to health. It is important that we ring-fence funds meant for health at the national level and the county level. Funds meant for health at the county level are more at risk than the money meant for health at the national level. During our interactions, we realised that funds meant for health at the county level are being used for other services. Therefore, it is difficult for the County Executive Committees (CECs) to ensure that funds are ring-fenced. Hon. Speaker, majority of the stakeholders submitted and highlighted the issue of health workers’ welfare. I would like to agree with Hon. (Prof.) Nyikal, that a Health Services Commission would have been ideal for us to ensure that we take care of our health workers. We do not want to be producers of health workers but they work for other countries as they look for greener pastures. With the current constitutional dispensation, it was not possible for us to suggest the creation of Health Services Commission. However, together with the Council of Governors and stakeholders we met to ensure that our workers are properly compensated and that there are proper structures for their promotion. We do not want to lose them. The Committee will be proposing various amendments in various areas within this Bill to make it better and stronger. The amendments will also reflect our interactions with the Senate Standing Committee on Health, the Ministry, CECs and other stakeholders during the Third Reading of the Bill. As I conclude, I would like to appreciate the effort that the Members of the Departmental Committee on Health, have put to bring this Bill this far. Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}