House team demands protection of medics, hospitals during demos

National Assembly Committee on Health Committee chairman James Nyikal calls for respect for medics and hospitals. [File, Standard]

The National Assembly Committee on Health has called for protection of hospitals and medics during demonstrations.

Committee chairman James Nyikal said nobody should be allowed to invade health facilities or interfere with the movement of ambulances.

Speaking after a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors at Serena Beach Hotel in Mombasa County on Thursday, Dr Nyikal said hospitals should be respected in the same manner as the Red Cross internationally to ensure uninterrupted services.

“We are appealing to all people involved in demonstrations, whoever they are, whether it is the police, that health facilities and health workers should be protected. Like the Red Cross works internationally, health facilities should not be affected in any way,” he said.

The meeting was attended by Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga and CoG Health Committee chairman Muthomi Njuki, among others.

Nyikal urged the Ministry of Interior to stop goons from invading health facilities and threatening medics during protests.

During the Saba Saba protest on July 7, goons stormed Kitengela sub-county hospital in Kajiado county and disrupted services.

Medics performing a C-section had to lock themselves up in the theatre after the hooligans invaded the facility.

Nyikal explained that the meeting focused on how the Sh13 billion allocated in the current national budget to support the primary healthcare fund and the Sh8 billion for the emergency and critical care fund will be utilised under the Social Health Authority (SHA).

He said the team looked into how to have a good linkage between the Ministry of Health, CoG, and the private and faith-based health facilities to ensure proper utilisation of the funds and the premium from members being handled by SHA.

“They have indicated that, working with the CoG, they have put in place a process to make sure that these funds support SHA in service delivery at all levels… We want to ensure that these funds are utilised in a coordinated manner throughout the country,” he said.

Nyikal announced that casual health workers will this month be employed on permanent and pensionable terms after Parliament allocated Sh6.2 billion.

“Health workers who have been on temporary terms of service will be transitioned to permanent and pensionable terms in July after Sh6.2 billion was allocated in the budget,” he said.

He noted that Sh4.5 billion has been provided in the budget for intern doctors to end a dispute that has led to the disruption of services following industrial action.

Nyikal said another Sh1.5 billion has been allocated to the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) to boost the supply of drugs and medical equipment to health facilities in the country.

“We want to know how the Ministry of Health will work with the CoG and Kemsa to ensure the provision of drugs throughout the health system,” he said.