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{
"id": 1103495,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1103495/?format=api",
"text_counter": 538,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Zani",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13119,
"legal_name": "Agnes Zani",
"slug": "agnes-zani"
},
"content": "terms of health until somebody has a problem. The person who is well and walking around does not realise how serious it is to be in a situation. Madam Temporary Speaker, some of the people who suffer the most are because of body fluids that are emitted from their bodies and they have no control over this. We have various severe cases for this including, for example, a delivery for certain women. This is where they have fistula and this has been addressed through various organisations. I know that at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), they have a system where they can operate on ladies with fistulas, guide and help them. We have other people, for example, who overtime, for one reason or another, find that they cannot empty their wastes all through their lives. Some people even have issues with urine. There are people who have leakage in urine. There are people who need dialysis. Therefore, it is a sector of healthcare that is important and expensive. Madam Temporary Speaker, for many Kenyans, they cannot have private insurance or arrangements for them to go to hospital to be treated. Many people end up being taking care of by families, friends, communities, or relying on community health workers to do most of the work happening in that area. Even the healing process, be it from the people who have had for example issues with cancer of the breasts or any other cancer, it becomes very painful. Many people watch their loved ones just dying as a result of this. The question is: Is there a way to make them a little bit more comfortable and give them dignity as human beings, so that they are not leaking away especially in public life? Is there a way that they can be brought out to still intermingle? I remember one particular lady who had a case of fistula. For the longest time, I had not had an experience of discussing such an issue with somebody. However, one time when we were discussing, she just gave me a narration of how miserable her life is. She was not able to control after child birth and it became problematic. She said: “I wish I could find a solution for this.” She did find a solution. She came to KNH and did the operation. Five years later when I met her again, she was a completely changed person with a lot of dignity. This Motion is about giving dignity to people who are sick generally and also specifically, for those who are suffering from colon cancer, ileostomy and urostomy. This is urine or colostomy, which is the issue of colons. For them to have that dignity, they need to have, for example, urine bags, adult diapers or other bags to help them do this. Madam Temporary Speaker, most of these materials have very expensive tax rate on them. These bags are not listed as goods exempted from tax or zero-rated in the First and Second Schedule of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act 2013. Therefore, they attract 16 per cent VAT and customs duty. By waiving this tax as per the VAT Act, specifically for this group of people who are already suffering and have to pay medical bills, go to hospital and quite a lot on them--- It becomes important to have a way to address this issue. The suggestion she makes and prayer to the Senate is a call upon the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Council of Governors (CoG), to create and maintain a list and register all the colon cancer patients. This is important and they can come out, be"
}