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{
    "id": 1012974,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1012974/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 255,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Wetangula",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 210,
        "legal_name": "Moses Masika Wetangula",
        "slug": "moses-wetangula"
    },
    "content": "If this Bill is passed, and I have no doubt it will, it is going to be a paradigm shift. We would want to see that the National Government prepare, in consultation, not only with the counties but with this Senate, the formulation of proper policy. Under our new Constitution, any policy formulated is legislated legislation. It must come to this House so that we improve on it and make it workable for the counties. I want to urge Sen. (Dr.) Zani that in Clause 10(2) which talks about the Committee that we are setting up in the counties for the health services, which states that: “A person is eligible for appointment as a member of the committee if that person is an adult of good standing with the leadership qualities, a member of the community is literate and can read and write, is not disqualified under any written law, meet such requirements that the County Executive Committee may legislate.” There is no mention of any knowledge of health background. People who sit in a committee of primary health care must have some basic knowledge of primary health. We have many people who are training as nurses, training as public health workers, meat inspectors, public health record keepers and doctors. I know doctors who are graduating and going back to the villages because the Government cannot employ them. Nobody can employ them because there are no opportunities. They start small clinics here and there. Those are people who are eligible also to chair this kind of committees so that they can impart their knowledge. When you say that somebody must be an adult and literate, you will find some character who will just go there because they are looking for an income and do nothing to help the enhancement of public health care. I would want to urge the sponsor of the Bill, to strengthen Clause 10 so that it can give some recognition of those people with the knowledge in public health. Equally important are the persons who are eligible for appointment as public health workers. We should also emphasize those who are trained. This country has moved a great deal. Right now, hardly any county does not have one or two medical training centres. We are training many people. The public cannot absorb all of them. The National Government has no capacity to employ them. So, these are the sort of people who would then be enlisted as volunteers but be paid a stipend. Like Sen. Sakaja said, if we pay attention to this, our budget for curative processes in the health sector would easily go down by 50 per cent, if not more. Last year, I went to Embu for the burial of an old man who was 118 years. He had never been to any hospital or dispensary for the whole of his life. The only time he went there is when his body literally gave way because of age and that was the time he succumbed and passed on. We have many people who grow up to the ages of 80, 90, and 100 years without ever seeing a doctor. The only person they encounter is the villager dressers, nurses and other public health officers who advise them on simple things such as clean water. Madam Deputy Speaker, you may realise - Senators here can notice - that since COVID-19 came and the protocols of public health behavior were imposed, common colds have been a thing of the past. You sit in this Chamber and the whole afternoon you hardly hear any Senator coughing. Previously, there would be a cough shooting from The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}