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{
    "id": 1020182,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1020182/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 254,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Dr.) Wilberforce Oundo (",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "cancer. The impact of cancer is beyond medical, it is much more. For instance, the psychological effect knowing that in many cases cancer has no treatment is more or less like a death sentence. It is an economic issue because the cost of treating cancer in this country and elsewhere in the world is exorbitant and beyond the reach of many families. As much as the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), for those who can afford, pays part of the bill, many times families are left on their own to try and find out how to sort out the bills. As elected Members of Parliament, and I am sure my colleagues will know, we attend so many harambees raising funds for treatment of cancer. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the amendments being proposed in this Bill are timely and good. However, the greatest challenge is not necessarily training. The University of Nairobi (UoN) and many other medical schools have opportunities to train, but many of the students and medical practitioners would not, probably, wish to go into this training because of lack of adequate equipment as well as lack of the ability to diagnose early enough. Many of them feel so hurt that whatever much they do, they can only offer palliative care to a dying patient, who they know very well they are not going to save. That is why the issue of e-health being proposed in this Bill could be a game changer. In the absence of testing equipment in the remote villages of Sio Port, Port Victoria, Wajir, Eldas, or wherever it is, the matter can be forward to a dedicated centre somewhere in Nairobi or major hospitals. This would assist in diagnosis and results are returned in a timely manner and as such, any intervention measures can be undertaken early. Off course, we must guard against the issue of cyber security because medical records are private and confidential. The fear of them being leaked or the system hacked is real and we must, as we devise a system, put this in mind to avoid a situation whereby your medical records become public knowledge even before you know your results. On the issue of county governments, it is necessary that we sit down and reflect, as a country. With due respect to my colleagues who wish to become governors in the next term, we were extremely wrong to have devolved healthcare. It is a debate that we must have and have soberly without fear of reprimand or political reprisal. We must have that debate. With those few remarks, I support the Bill and request my colleagues to support it as well. I thank you."
}