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{
    "id": 719741,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/719741/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 45,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Musyimi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 95,
        "legal_name": "Mutava Musyimi",
        "slug": "mutava-musyimi"
    },
    "content": "provision of Kshs3.4 billion as I stated earlier from the national Government share as a specific grant to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) to cater for free maternal health care to be disbursed as reimbursements. Previously, free maternity health care was reimbursed directly to the county governments but now, we have a policy shift in administration of free maternity health care where the service shall be administered through the existing NHIF framework. With respect to the conditional allocation to county governments, I wish to say that in accordance with Article 202(2) of the Constitution, we propose that there should be additional conditional allocations from the national Government share of revenue to support specific national policy objectives that shall be implemented by the county governments. As I mentioned earlier, these are as follows: (i) We have Kshs4.5 billion for leasing of medical equipment. This conditional grant whose purpose is to facilitate payment for leased modern specialised medical equipment in at least two medical facilities per county, is in its third year of implementation. That grant is usually managed by the national Government via a framework established through the inter- governmental agreement. (ii) Kshs900 million towards the compensation of county health facilities for foregone user fees. This is a grant that is a reimbursement meant to support the implementation of the Government policy of not charging user fees such as the laboratory services among others in Government health facilities. (iii) The Kshs4.2 billion for Level 5 hospitals is an allocation for the 11 hospitals across the country under this category which serves as regional centres offering specialised care, life support and specialized consultation, among others. The allocation is compensation for serving referral cases from adjacent counties. (iv) We have Kshs605 million for construction of county headquarters. This proposed allocation is for five counties. Each will receive Kshs121 million. The counties are Isiolo, Lamu, Nyandarua, Tana River and Tharaka Nithi. (v) Kshs2 billion towards rehabilitation of village polytechnics. This proposed allocation is meant to support counties to build, renovate and equip village polytechnics. We believe this will go a long way in establishing centres of excellence in artisanship at local levels so as to equip the youth who do not transit to secondary schools with valuable skills needed for economic transformation and employment. Perhaps, I need to just mention this. Hon. Members may recall that about three years ago - I believe it was in the Financial Year 2014/2015 - this House had initially proposed that we set aside a conditional grant of Kshs1.4 billion to be used by village polytechnics. Then the Senate had issues with that particular proposal. We had to go through mediation and that condition was removed. We have observed the attention or lack of it, thereof, given by county governments to village polytechnics over the last three years and we are, therefore, convinced that, that money should go to the county governments because they are the ones who have been given that responsibility by the Constitution. However, it must go to them as conditional grant because if we leave it generally, we know that nothing will happen and a lot of our young people will end up without getting the necessary skills even at that level, which comes with all manner of social problems later on in life as we all know. So, we have proposed that this goes to the county governments as conditional grant."
}