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{
    "id": 838809,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/838809/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 163,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Makueni, WDM-K",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Daniel Maanzo",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2197,
        "legal_name": "Daniel Kitonga Maanzo",
        "slug": "daniel-kitonga-maanzo"
    },
    "content": "of some of these young people who were found in chemists. Eventually, Parliament had to handle the matter and find a way of synchronising the system so that the colleges which had been in practice were recognised. This is part of the reason we have come up with this Bill. There is the Public Health Act and the role of the Director of Medical Services. Is it administrative? To what extent does that particular office affect the workings of the health sector in the country? How does the office, under the new Constitution, tie to the counties? How do you synchronise activities in the counties with the national Government, including budgeting and procurement of medical equipment? When you procure the equipment as the national Government, how do you distribute them to the counties? All that has now been provided for in this Bill. The financing of health services has been an issue in the counties. There is no uniformity. Each county has its own practice. The practice in Makueni has been very successful; a lot of families are benefitting. That can be borrowed by other counties. How do you make sure that all these work together? What can be done at the national level vis-à-vis the local level? A lot of Kenyans go for medication outside the country and take away a lot of our money, which can be paid to the equally qualified doctors in the country. In fact, a lot of Kenyans who go for treatment abroad end up spending more or repeating some of the tests which had been carried out locally at huge expense to their families. Hospital bills have now become such a serious matter. There are harambees almost every weekend for somebody who has died and cannot be buried because of pending hospital bills. Therefore, this idea of universal healthcare is quite important. In the Makueni scenario, they are able to take care of bills of the person and even funeral expenses and transportation. How do you replicate that at the national level such that families do not go bankrupt after one of their members become sick? Many families in the country are unable to afford medical treatment. Most importantly, as I finalise, issues of fake drugs, generics and the procurement and distribution of drugs in this country have really been a challenge. This is the time Parliament should rise to the occasion to ensure a smooth running so that Kenyans can receive treatment at the best price. With those remarks, I beg to support and urge Members to do so."
}