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"id": 1073105,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1073105/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Kasanga",
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"speaker": {
"id": 13185,
"legal_name": "Sylvia Mueni Kasanga",
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"content": "We have to approach it from the home level where we have a battalion of community health workers, psychologists and counsellors who are working at the home level and then we scale it up. This is because we do realize that if we handle it from the home level, and then integrate mental health with primary health care, there will be very little need for institutionalization. This is because we are dealing with issues as they arise rather than waiting until somebody has ailed so deeply and the mental health issue has become so severe that they will require hospitalization. Madam Temporary Speaker, as part of fighting stigma, we must approach mental health from a community-based point of view. The reason I am not going into the details of the Bill itself is because this House canvased this Bill so comprehensively. In fact, each of the 24 Senators who spoke, we even took the HANSARD, published their words into a book and into a publication, which is online called many faces. That is just how deeply this Bill was canvassed in this House. It is because of these conversations that we are where we are. Where we can appreciate, some steps have been done and a lot more needs to be done. I really appreciate that. More so, is to look forward to the legislation. This is because it gives the accountability factor. It is necessary that the two levels of Government are tasked by law to do what they need to do, give Kenyans access to mental health, and health care for their mental wellness with the dignity that it deserves. Madam Temporary Speaker, today, I will not speak a lot. This is because I can go on when it comes to mental health. There is always something to talk about. There is the multi-sectorial approach that is required towards mental health. There are the stop gap measures that can be done, legislation that need to be changed, and pin codes that needs to be looked into. Various rafts of legislation from the Marriage Act, Suicide Decriminalization and many others that can be looked into, even in the individuals that can help Kenyans begin to access mental health without having to fear and without having to undergo any strict laws that are preventing them from accessing this mental health. There are issues like National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and Universal Health Care (UHC). This is an issue we have tried to tackle as much as possible wherever we can. The Universal Health care needs to expand its services to accommodate Kenyans with mental illnesses. This does not necessarily require a legislation. This has to do with the goodwill of the Executive wanting to roll out a UHC. There is no health without mental health. It is something we are always saying. Many at times, we have realized that somebody will go and get a raft of diagnosis whereas what they are ailing from is not physical, but mental. NHIF must expand their services. Right now, they have good coverage for civil servants. They have expanded their coverage for our men and women in uniform when it comes to mental health access for inpatient. However, for the rest of the citizens, more needs to be done. I know NHIF is undergoing many reforms, but mental health has to be put first. All this said and done, I really want to thank this House. I thank the support of the Senators. When I called for training to get ambassadors, the Senators came. We actually"
}