Nurses have opposed the move by President Uhuru Kenyatta to refer
the Health Laws (Amendment) Bill
back to the National Assembly for reconsideration.
On November 8, 2018 the assembly passed the Bill which seeks
to make various amendments to 13 statutes relating to the Health sector.
The President however expressed reservations on
the membership and functions of the Nursing Council of Kenya
as passed by the House.
Among the recommendations was that nursing commodities be under the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.
These are items used commonly by nurses, such as gloves, syringes and cotton wool.
The nurses at a previous meeting had agreed with the Health ministry that nursing commodities which are non pharmaceutical in nature be regulated by the Nursing Council of Kenya.
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Speaking to the media yesterday, the National Nurses Association of Kenya chairman Alfred Obengo accused unscrupulous business people as having interest in the matter.
"Every second we have nurses wearing gloves, and syringes and cotton wool being used on innocent Kenyans. They have an interest to control the business out of scope of regulations set," Obengo said.
"It is dangerous to issue a blank cheque to business people. That is why we have gloves tearing before you even wear them or halfway into a surgery process. That is putting lives of Kenyans and nurses at risk," he added.
According to Obengo, the interested persons are trying to create their influence by using the top office to have their selfish interests protected by law.
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The chairman said the move by the Nursing Council of Kenya registrar Edna Talam to be in agreement with the proposed changes was personal.
"The registrar may have supported but this is not our position. She might have done that either as a slip of the tongue or she has joined the cartels," he added.
He questioned why the PPB was interested in controlling such 'simple things' yet they have been unable to control the pharmaceutical industry.
He said the move will open room for substandard goods while they have interests of the public at heart.
The National Assembly Health Committee has accused senior ministry officials of misadvising the President on the Bill.
The committee
chaired by Sabina Chege alleged that
ministry officials were misusing their position for self gain.
The lawmakers have threatened to impose sanctions on the ministry, including blocking their 2019/20 budgetary allocations.
The President’s Memorandum was conveyed to the House on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 and was accordingly committed to the Departmental Committee on Health for consideration.
Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman has however promised to seek audience with the President on the matter.
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