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{
    "id": 748344,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/748344/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 166,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Dr.) Nyamai",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1979,
        "legal_name": "Rachael Kaki Nyamai",
        "slug": "rachael-kaki-nyamai"
    },
    "content": "Clause 16 regards the office of the Director General. The amendment from the Senate was that Clause 16 of the Bill be amended by deleting Sub-Clause 2 and substituting therefor the following new Sub-Clause 2: “The Director-General for Health shall be recruited by the Public Service Commission through a competitive process and appointed by the Cabinet Secretary.” Substituting also (a) with a new paragraph, “Be a health practitioner registered by respective regulatory authority.” Just to inform the House, this meant that any health professional would fit even if they are not doctors. The Senate’s justification for this was that the position of the Director-General is not equivalent to that of the Cabinet Secretary or the Principal Secretary and as such, there would be no need to have Director General vetted by Parliament and appointed by the President. The amendment will take the Director-General’s position to be appointed by the Cabinet Secretary through a competitive recruitment exercise carried by the PSC. The Mediation Committee resolved to have Clause 16(2) to read as follows: “16(2). The Director-General for Health shall be recruited by the Public Service Commission through a competitive process, vetted by Parliament and appointed by the Cabinet Secretary.” The justification for this was that given the role of the DG as an adviser to the Government on all matters relating to health within the health sector, vetting by Parliament will ensure public representation in the process through elected representatives. The Committee agreed with the National Assembly’s position on Clause 16(3)(a) as follows: “16(3)(a). A person appointed under subsection (2) must be a medical practitioner registered by the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board.” The justification for this is that the DG will be in charge of the country’s health sector and should have the basic qualifications for medicine as a first degree. On Clause 17 on the functions of the DG, the Senate had made an amendment that it be amended by deleting paragraph (i): provide guidelines for registration, licensing, certification, gazettement of all health facilities; and the deletion of paragraph (j): be responsible for internship programme for health workers. 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."
}