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{
    "id": 116267,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/116267/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 374,
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    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we need to determine these issues, including the dosage. You will find that there are issues of the packaging of the herbal medicine, hygiene and qualifications of those practitioners. There are issues of side effects. We need proper research to find out what happens to the 80 per cent of Kenyans who use herbal medicine. Is there someone who is able to follow up to find out the efficacy of that medicine and establish whether there are side effects and what cases have been there. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, looking at how other nations have dealt with the situation, you will find that even in developed countries like Australia and the United Kingdom, they have had their share of problems. They have actually set aside time and resources to ensure the safety of their citizens. There is adulteration between prescription drugs and herbal medicine, some of which are imported. In some cases, you will find cocktails of both which can result in very serious side effects. In some cases, there has been reported contamination with heavy metals such as mercury and lead and yet, we do not have a regulatory body to check those issues. We are exposing our citizens to danger. It is a scary thing to know that there are 30 million Kenyans out there whose lives are exposed and we do not have a regulatory body to look into that. The Ministry of Medical Services is not even managing that. It is under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development. This is something that we must look at immediately. After we pass this Motion, we urge the Government to move with speed to do the needful. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are cases in other jurisdictions where it has been established that, in spite of people believing that herbal medicine or alternative medicine is the safest, it actually has side effects. In 1972 in Australia, a case was established of an 11 year old child who used something called royal jelly to treat asthma. The child had side effects but, because it was not noticed on the third application of this"
}