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{
    "id": 90143,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/90143/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 413,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "I want to touch on supply of commodities and in particular the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA). The Ministry needs to press for sufficient allocation. When KEMSA requested to be allocated Kshs1.9 billion, it was allocated Kshs1.1 billion. It becomes difficult to understand how else KEMSA will supply the necessary commodities for hospital operations. Are we waiting for shortages and then cry in the middle of the year that there are no drugs? We cry having known that from the outset we created a problem when allocating funds for the supply of commodities such as medicines, non- pharmaceuticals and equipment. We cannot talk of development in our medical sector if we do not change the way we allocate our funds. The Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has the highest trained people in this country. Those people are technically qualified to perform any technical procedure. However, if you walk into the KNH, you will find obsolete equipment and patients sharing beds. One wonders how we can consider the KNH to be a referral hospital when patients share beds in this century. We appeal to the Government to change the way it allocates funds to our hospitals. The Minister has alluded to the fact that there was reason to capitalize the KEMSA so that it can operate without necessarily waiting for funds from the Treasury and the Ministry of Medical Services. This has not been considered and we expect the problem to continue. There is need for consideration of emergency operations in the hospitals. The Minister has talked about the procurement of ambulance services, which is important. The fact that was alluded to in the Budget speech that we shall lease 300 ambulances instead of purchasing them is not the right way of procuring ambulance services. We need to procure the ambulances but do it the way the Minister put it. Ambulance services should be centrally placed so that we call the ambulances when we are in need in whichever region. As a Committee, we advise the Ministry to consider piloting this programme on ambulances and then roll it out in the entire country if it works. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, issues of personnel have been talked about. The Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) of many years ago is the same today. We are talking about increasing the number of medical personnel in this country, but how can we do that unless we expand the KMTC? There should be special consideration for the expansion of infrastructure for the KMTC to increase the number of medical personnel trained."
}