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{
    "id": 1083561,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1083561/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 266,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Endebess, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr.) Robert Pukose",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1458,
        "legal_name": "Robert Pukose",
        "slug": "robert-pukose"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker for allowing me to contribute to this Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill (National Assembly Bill No.34 of 2019) by Hon. Millie Odhiambo-Mabona. At the outset, I support the Bill but with amendments. My first proposed amendment is in the constitution of the authority where the Bill states that the board shall appoint the director- general. In the current constitutional dispensation, I suggest that the board recruit competitively. When we leave it to the board to just appoint the director-general, anybody can appoint anyone. What is the criteria? He or she should be recruited competitively. The regulations will guide us on how the board shall competitively recruit the director-general. This is a good Bill. When we talk about assisted reproductive technology, this is technology which will be used to treat infertility. It could be that you are married, you have your partner, you have attempted on several occasions, but you are not able to get children. The problem might be on the man’s side. You may have a low sperm count or it could be a problem on the woman’s side. The two of them are assisted to conceive. It could be the man or the woman who has the problem. When you are assisting people who are married, why should they get somebody else to carry that child? This is where Hon. Mabona will have challenges, especially from the religious sector. It would be proper to remove that section on surrogacy because we want this Bill to move forward. We want this Bill to also assist in terms of, at least, having regulations, guidelines and even licensing those who are qualified to practice. We have gynaecologists who are able to do this work. Once you have an authority, you have regulations that guide on how the process is done. It will become even more affordable. As it stands today, invitro fertilization is very expensive for those who want to do it. Many people who would want to have children cannot afford it. If we make it such that even regional hospitals in Nakuru, Embu, Nyeri, Kisii and all those level five hospitals are able to do it, it will become more accessible and affordable to the general public."
}