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{
    "id": 640080,
    "url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/640080/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 221,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Lentoimaga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 2756,
        "legal_name": "Alois Musa Lentoimaga",
        "slug": "alois-musa-lentoimaga"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, for giving me this opportunity. I support this Motion. It has come at the right time. We should have done this long time ago. I also congratulate Hon. Wanga for bringing the Motion. This is a widespread disease. It is traumatising our people. It is devastating. No single place is spared. When we were young, we thought that the disease was only meant for western countries. However, it is deep in our counties, sub-counties and the most remote areas in our country. In Samburu North, I have lost more than four people here in Nairobi because of cancer. Currently, I have another three who are admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital. The worst thing is that we have not really known what the cause of cancer is. When I was a young District Officer in Mandera, we were told that it was caused by nuclear waste. Some companies were coming to do exploration and people said that they had put nuclear waste in the ground and sealed it. We need to do more research to understand what causes cancer. Sometimes, we are told that it is because of processed food. In my constituency, we do not eat processed food. Some of them say that it is relief food. Again, not much of relief food is being given to our people. The critical thing is that we do not have enough equipment in our counties and sub-counties to detect cancer at an early stage. So, our people are actually suffering. They suffer for a long time before they know that they are suffering from cancer. So, we urge the Government to provide equipment in the sub-county hospitals and health centres so that those diseases can be detected at an early stage and action taken. It is so expensive to bring patients to Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu or Eldoret. It is so expensive for people who come from far-flung counties and sub-counties. So, we urge the Government to train as many people as possible. It will take time to train a doctor. Initially, we should, at least, train paramedics who can do detection at an early stage so that they can know the causes of that disease. Most families are devastated. They lose all the resources they have when they discover that somebody is suffering from cancer. They sell animals and all the assets they have. Some of them just abandon the patient because they cannot afford to continue paying. Members of Parliament are bearing the burden because every single day, they are told that somebody in the hospital needs money or somebody suffering from cancer needs to be taken to hospital. We do not have those finances. So, the Government should come out clearly and assist patients who suffer from cancer. Cancer has become a killer disease. Compared to HIV, cancer is at the top. The other disease that is affecting Kenyans so much is the kidney disease. Renal diseases are on the rise. A lot of investigation, research, equipment and training should be done to ensure that we address the issue of cancer and kidney diseases. I support this Motion."
}