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{
"id": 1801,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1801/?format=api",
"text_counter": 325,
"type": "scene",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Several hon. Members stood up in their places)"
},
{
"id": 1802,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1802/?format=api",
"text_counter": 326,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Laboso",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Deputy Speaker",
"speaker": {
"id": 63,
"legal_name": "Joyce Cherono Laboso",
"slug": "joyce-laboso"
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"content": " Order, hon. Members! Remember this is a petition and specific issues were raised in it. Allow the Assistant Minister to respond to the petition and then we can come in and make our contribution or seek our clarifications. Continue Mr. Assistant Minister!"
},
{
"id": 1803,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1803/?format=api",
"text_counter": 327,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kambi",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Medical Services",
"speaker": {
"id": 39,
"legal_name": "Samuel Kazungu Kambi",
"slug": "samuel-kambi"
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"content": " Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, human resources for health have also improved in recent years. We now have specialists in places that could not attract them a few years ago. In addition, the numbers of health personnel in the country keep rising year after year, thanks to the expanded training facilities. Presently, the numbers are very big that the sector is not able to absorb all of them. The demand for the ever increasing population, effects of drought, high inflation rates and effects of globalization have meant that the resources our country generates are not sufficient to address the country’s needs. This has translated to underfunding of Government Ministries including those in the health sector. Though the sector experiences funding challenges, it is nowhere near the state of collapse painted by the petitioners."
},
{
"id": 1804,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1804/?format=api",
"text_counter": 328,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kambi",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Medical Services",
"speaker": {
"id": 39,
"legal_name": "Samuel Kazungu Kambi",
"slug": "samuel-kambi"
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"content": "The Ministries of Health have developed a business plan to revitalize health infrastructure, human resources for health, health financing and supply of commodities in the country to improve the working environment. The plan which will cost the Government, a staggering Kshs80 billion has been submitted to the Cabinet for consideration. After the Cabinet approves it, it will come to the House. So, I will seek also the help of my colleagues to approve the same."
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{
"id": 1805,
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"text_counter": 329,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kambi",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Medical Services",
"speaker": {
"id": 39,
"legal_name": "Samuel Kazungu Kambi",
"slug": "samuel-kambi"
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"content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the Minister for Medical Services met officials of the Union on 21st of November, 2011 and received their grievances. Since then, meetings with the Union officials have been taking place almost daily. I have attempted to address general members of the Union, who assembled at Afya House. However, they booed me and rejected me. To the contrary, if any party to this matter is guilty of silence and hostility, it is the Union."
},
{
"id": 1806,
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"text_counter": 330,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kambi",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Medical Services",
"speaker": {
"id": 39,
"legal_name": "Samuel Kazungu Kambi",
"slug": "samuel-kambi"
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"content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, on the claims of brain drain, it is true that a good number of doctors who join the Civil service as interns exit the service by the end of the mandatory 36 months. However, brain drain in the health sector is not a phenomenon. It is a problem the country has had for decades, and its cause is the inability of the country to match the better compensation packages offered by other countries or private health providers. In the last few years, the number of doctors leaving the public health sector has increased tremendously. The Ministry has investigated this scenario and established that majority of those exiting are beneficiaries of Module II admissions to the medical schools. They only last as long as it is necessary internship and to gain some experience as medical officers. Thereafter, they opt to leave for the private sector or for special training on self-sponsorship since they can afford. Clearly, these are the doctors with wider horizons arising from the rich background. The sector will continue to face challenges retaining them."
},
{
"id": 1807,
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"text_counter": 331,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kambi",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Medical Services",
"speaker": {
"id": 39,
"legal_name": "Samuel Kazungu Kambi",
"slug": "samuel-kambi"
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"content": "On claims of annual cuts on health budget contrary to the Abuja Declaration, Kenya is a signatory to the Abuja Declaration. However, the 15 per cent allocation of the national budget to health is seen as a long-term goal which the signatories try to achieve. Currently, Kenya stands at 7 per cent. It is not true that there have been annual cuts to the health budget. The Printed Estimates published by the Treasury every year shows that the budget for the sector has been increasing. However, it has not been increasing in proportion to the demand of the increasing population and new health facilities. New facilities are constructed or upgraded each year. Since they are drawing from the limited pool of resources, the impression created is that the budget is being cut."
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"id": 1808,
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"text_counter": 332,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kambi",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Medical Services",
"speaker": {
"id": 39,
"legal_name": "Samuel Kazungu Kambi",
"slug": "samuel-kambi"
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"content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, the public health sector has considerably invested in research, both scientific and operational. The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is the flagship agent for medical research in the sector. Other agencies of the Ministry that engage in research include the Division of Vector Borne Diseases, Malaria Control and Programme, and National Public Health Laboratories. Clinicians are also encouraged to carry out operational research in their areas of specialization, and a number of service delivery improvements have been made out of this type of research."
},
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"id": 1809,
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"text_counter": 333,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kambi",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Medical Services",
"speaker": {
"id": 39,
"legal_name": "Samuel Kazungu Kambi",
"slug": "samuel-kambi"
},
"content": "Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, health workers are civil servants and their terms and conditions of service are tied with those of other civil servants. These apply to basic salaries and common allowances. Notwithstanding, the above case, the pay package of the medical practitioners, pharmacists and dentists are the best in the Civil Service. This is because they earn special allowances like non-practising and risk allowances that other civil servants do not enjoy. The non-practising allowances ranges from Kshs12,000 for an intern joining the service to Kshs60,000 for a Senior Deputy Director of Medical Services. However, the Director of Medical Services and other health workers within the public health sector, are not entitle to a non-practising allowance."
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{
"id": 1810,
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"text_counter": 334,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Kambi",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Medical Services",
"speaker": {
"id": 39,
"legal_name": "Samuel Kazungu Kambi",
"slug": "samuel-kambi"
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"content": "Medical practitioners, pharmacists and dentists join the Civil Service as interns at job Group L, where they serve for one year, and then they are appointed as Medical Officers on Job Group M. Other cadres join at lower levels, Job Group J for general degrees, and Job Group K for other professional degrees. Thus medical practitioners, pharmacists and dentists already enjoy privileged terms in the Civil Service. Even with the salary scales, the entry point for medical practitioners, pharmacists and dentists are towards the maximum of the scale, while other cadres have to begin from the start. Within the common cadres; Job Group M to P, doctors get promoted automatically after three years, while other cadres frequently stagnate. The Public Service Commission (PSC) had previously expanded the establishment of cadres of health workers to address the problem of stagnation. Treasury has now availed funds for promotions."
}
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