{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=150259","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=150257","results":[{"id":1520772,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520772/?format=json","text_counter":52,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(The Cabinet Secretary for Health (Hon. (Dr.) Barasa) was ushered into the Chamber)"},{"id":1520773,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520773/?format=json","text_counter":53,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Kathuri","speaker_title":"The Deputy Speaker","speaker":{"id":13590,"legal_name":"Murungi Kathuri","slug":"murungi-kathuri"},"content":" Hon. Senators, the Cabinet Secretary for Health is here. Dr. Debra Barasa and your team, welcome to the Senate of the Republic of Kenya. We are here to interact with you on the four Questions that hon. Senators will raise on this Floor. I can see you and your team are prepared to answer them. We will start with Question No.016 by the nominated Senator, Sen. Mumma, who is also going to represent the Speaker in another forum in the next few minutes. Let us first dispense of with your Question. Sen. Mumma, proceed. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1520774,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520774/?format=json","text_counter":54,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Question No.016"},{"id":1520775,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520775/?format=json","text_counter":55,"type":"heading","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"AVAILABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF LIFE-SUPPORTING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR PWDS AND PERSONS LIVING WITH SEIZURE RELATED AILMENTS"},{"id":1520776,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520776/?format=json","text_counter":56,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Mumma","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. Hon. Barasa, welcome to the Senate. We have been longing to ask you a number of questions and I am glad you have managed to come. My questions are as follows- (1) Could the Cabinet Secretary provide details on the availability and affordability of life-supporting prescription drugs for persons with disabilities living with seizure-related ailments such as epilepsy? (2) Which pharmaceutical manufacturers, suppliers and distributors are collaborating with the Ministry of Health and the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) to ensure the availability of these medicines and what are the terms of their operation? (3) What steps has the Ministry taken to ensure that these life-saving drugs are included in the essential drugs list and made readily available under the existing public national health insurance scheme?"},{"id":1520777,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520777/?format=json","text_counter":57,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Kathuri","speaker_title":"The Deputy Speaker","speaker":{"id":13590,"legal_name":"Murungi Kathuri","slug":"murungi-kathuri"},"content":" Proceed, Cabinet Secretary for Health."},{"id":1520778,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520778/?format=json","text_counter":58,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"The Cabinet Secretary for Health","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Hon. (Dr.) Deborah Barasa): Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, and distinguished Members of the Senate, it is, indeed, a great honour and privilege to appear before this esteemed House today. I sincerely appreciate the invitation to engage with you on the Ministry of Health’s ongoing efforts to ensure availability of quality, accessible and affordable healthcare services for all Kenyans. The Senate plays a vital role in shaping national health policies. I welcome this opportunity to present our initiatives and collectively explore ways to strengthen healthcare delivery across the country. This occasion also marks my inaugural appearance before this honourable House as the Cabinet Secretary for Health. I take this opportunity to reaffirm my commitment to transparency, accountability and constructive engagement with the Senate in advancing Kenya’s health agenda. As we navigate the evolving health care landscape, I recognise the Senate’s pivotal oversight role in ensuring that the Government’s health policies and programmes effectively serve the needs of all Kenyans. As we move forward with the implementation of Taifa Care, our flagship model for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), I look forward to forging a strong partnership with this House. The success of this transformative health agenda depends on the collective effort of the Executive, the Legislature, county governments and other stakeholders. I am confident that through close collaboration, we will make significant strides in realising a robust, inclusive and sustainable healthcare system for all. Hon. Members, I will now move to the Question by Sen. Mumma. (a) Medicines used in the country must meet strict regulatory requirements to ensure safety, efficacy and quality. They must be first of all registered and retained by The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1520779,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520779/?format=json","text_counter":59,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"The Cabinet Secretary for Health","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB). However, if a medicine is selected for inclusion in the essential list but is not yet registered in the country, it may undergo an expedited registration process to facilitate timely access. Secondly, it must be listed in the current Kenya Essential Medicines List (KEML), 2023. Additionally, for these medicines to be available to the wider public, they need to be stocked by the Kenya Medical Supply Agency (KEMSA) as guided by Kenya Essential Medicine List 2023, Kenya Essential Medical Supply List 2023, and the Kenya Essential Diagnostic List 2023. Currently, KEMSA stocks a number of anti-epileptics or anti-convulsants such as lamotrigine tablets, valproic acid tablets and syrup, phenytoin tablets, phenobarbitone tablets and injections, midazolam injections, magnesium sulphate injections, levetiracetam injections, gabapentin tablets, diazepam injections and tablets. It is imperative that the counties draw these commodities from KEMSA to ensure a consistent supply to deserving patients. (b) With regards to which pharmaceutical manufacturers, suppliers and distributors are partnering with the Ministry of Health and KEMSA to ensure the availability of these medicines. The KEMSA aligns its procurement of health products with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, the Kenya Essential Medicine List 2023, Kenya Essential Medical Supplies list 2023 and the Kenya Essential Diagnostic list 2023. There are 42 registered local pharmaceuticals or medicine manufacturers who have good compliance with manufacturing practices. To enhance local manufacturing of medicines in the country, the Ministry of Health in 2020 conducted a capacity assessment of the manufacturers and the report of this assessment forms the basis of the development of a local manufacturing strategy for Kenya that seeks to incentivise innovation and production of health products. This will lead to an increase in the local production of medicine in the Kenya Essential Medicine List 2023 from the current 20 per cent to 50 per cent by 2026. Again, all public procurement entities including KEMSA are expected to comply with the preferential procurement master roll list published by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry that lists all products manufactured locally including medicine. The capacity assessment report guided the updating of the preferential procurement master roll No. 1 of 2024 to the current 223 medicines. Public procurement entities are expected to procure locally manufactured products from local manufacturers in order to promote the Buy Kenya, Build Kenya strategy in support of local industries and the domestic economy. KEMSA does a pooled procurement on behalf of all public health facilities thereby maximising economies of scale to yield better prices for its clients. However, KEMSA has had operational challenges including stockouts of essential health products and technology due to financial constraints as a result of inadequate budgetary allocation and huge debts from county governments and other clients to the tune of Kshs6.2 billion. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1520780,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520780/?format=json","text_counter":60,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"The Cabinet Secretary for Health","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(c) With regard to what steps the Ministry of Health has undertaken to ensure that life-saving medicines are included in the essential medical list and made readily available under the existing public national health insurance scheme, life-saving medicines are listed in the current Kenya Essential Medicine List 2023 Edition, which is reviewed every three years and are captured under various therapeutic categories including medicines of pain, anticonvulsants, medicines for anxiety disorder, medicines for mood disorders among others. Further, the Social Health Authority (SHA) aims to provide affordable accessible and quality healthcare services to Kenya as guided by the essential health benefit package that defines the services covered by the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). Social Health Authority (SHA) will use the Essential Medicines List to guide the reimbursement of health services and health products to health facilities for various conditions including those provided for People with Disabilities (PWDs). I thank you."},{"id":1520781,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1520781/?format=json","text_counter":61,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"The Deputy Speaker","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Sen. Kathuri) Thank you, Hon. Cabinet Secretary. Sen. Catherine Mumma, do you have any supplementary question to the response? You have an opportunity to ask two supplementary questions."}]}