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{
    "id": 639941,
    "url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/639941/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 82,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Prof.) Nyikal",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 434,
        "legal_name": "James Nyikal",
        "slug": "james-nyikal"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker for giving me this opportunity. I congratulate Hon. Wanga for proposing this Motion and for the detailed amount of work she has done in looking at all aspects that are necessary in the management of cancer. Non- communicable diseases referred to as NCDs are a major problem and this is something that was predictable from as far as five years ago. Due to the changing lifestyles and the increasing life expectation, a lot of people are affected. Unfortunately for this country, this is coming at a time when developing countries have not got rid of infectious diseases. We are having a double burden of disease. Whereas we have infectious diseases still ravaging us, cancer cases are also coming up. This is a danger that we need to look at as a country. Although the Member said that cancer is affecting everybody, but to a large extent, people who are well to do will control with their resources and if you are not careful, we can avert all the resources. However, that is not to say that we cannot put a programme for cancer. As a country, we need to look at the area of early screening and early detection. Most of the common cancers such as breast and cervical cancer in women are treatable with early detection. Therefore we need to have a programme that will lead to early detection, so that we do not put so much money in expensive treatment. As it is now, cancer is killing many people. Hon. Wanga has gone into the details of the number of people dying from cancer. It is not just about dying, but also the amount of suffering that people go through in the late stages of cancer is immense. People suffer yet the access to treatment is limited. You have people travelling from all over the country coming to Nairobi. Even for those who can afford, it is expensive. It is one of the diseases that will cause catastrophic spending in a family. Even a family that is well to do and a middle income family with one case of cancer leading to late treatment will wipe out their resources and by that time, insurance companies will have abandoned them. So, it is important that we do something about this. We can develop a programme that has emphasis on early detection. It is not expensive to detect cancer early. Cervical cancer screening can be done at a health centre and simple treatment can be done at the district hospitals. Breast cancer can also be detected early. I will ask any of my colleagues here, particularly those who are over 45 and 50 years, to get checked for prostate cancer, at least, once in a year because if it is detected early, you will be cured. Early detection is important."
}