{"id":643301,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/643301/?format=json","text_counter":1093,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. (Dr.) Kibunguchy","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":294,"legal_name":"Enoch Wamalwa Kibunguchy","slug":"enoch-kibunguchy"},"content":"Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, it is a happy day because we have come a long way in passing this Bill. It is a good thing. I want to comment on three areas. One of the positive things in this Bill is that now all the conditional grants going to hospitals have been ring-fenced so that governors cannot use the money the way they like. The second thing is that we have given the Director-General powers to upgrade facilities from a lower level to upper level. As soon as this Bill is assented to and becomes an Act of Parliament, I would like him to move with speed and upgrade all the current Level 5 hospitals to Level 6 status so that they are looked after by the national Government-constituted boards. We do not want to see some of the things that are happening now. The other thing I like about this Bill is that for a long time our health workers have been clamouring for a health commission. This Bill has created something close to a health commission because a health commission would require amendments to the Constitution. We have established an Authority as a compromise to look after the welfare of our health workers."}