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{
    "id": 1121344,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1121344/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 89,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cherargei",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13217,
        "legal_name": "Cherarkey K Samson",
        "slug": "cherarkey-k-samson"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Statement by my neighbour Sen. Rose Nyamunga. Anything that makes it unable for a body to function properly or optimally should be considered a disability. As a country we have come a long way since 2003 when the Disability Act was passed by Parliament. We need to know that we should go beyond the tradition disability that all of us have known like being unable to use your legs, ears or eyes. The world has moved on. People living with sickle cell disease should be considered as part of people living with a disability. This is because these are people who have diseases that make them not to function optimally as normal as they should be. So, we should expand an issue the necessary waiver or support, the way we do to people living with disabilities. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the law is already there. We now need to look at the policy directions and the relevant Ministries need to come up with proper guiding legislative interventions. It is expensive to live with the sickle cell disease. The mortality rate of most of the patients is very high as Sen. Nyamunga has indicated. Therefore, we need to realign the policy, the legislative intervention and also to call out the Government to include and ensure the people living with sickle cell disease are part of it. When that is achieved, it will be easy for them to receive medication which is very expensive and so it affects them in one way or the other. Mr. Speaker, Sir, sometimes, it is not because of genetics, it can happen to anybody. Any parent who unfortunately has a child who suffers from sickle cell disease will tell you that it is very expensive in terms of resources, time and medication. It is not a disease that anyone would wish for anybody. That is why the only human thing that we can do is to ensure they become part of people living with disability so that they can get the waivers and support from the Government and all agencies both in private and public sector. Therefore, I support and agree that this is part of the right to health which everyone is entitled to I thank Sen. Nyamunga for bringing this issue up. I know many Kenyans who have lived with this disease appreciate this. I have heard Sen. (Dr.) Musuruve who is one of the representative of people living with disability. She will work closely with this House and Sen. Nyamunga to ensure that relevant agencies take this matter with the seriousness it deserves. Mr. Speaker, I support."
}