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{
    "id": 1323946,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1323946/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 274,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tigania West, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) John K. Mutunga",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Dawood has said that we should promote treatment of persons with cancer as a component of primary healthcare. I want to look at the Kenya Kwanza plan and roll out of digitisation of healthcare services and primary healthcare service providers. Every part of this country is covered by primary healthcare providers. Cancer is easy to detect in the sense that you get cysts, swellings or abscesses of some kind. So, when these primary healthcare service providers visit a patient suffering from cancer, probably, they will be complaining of having a swelling on a certain part of their body. So, they can recommend that person to be checked for cancer. Not all tumours and cysts are cancerous; some are benign and the malignant ones are considered cancerous. Hon. Dawood is also proposing that we promote the use of e-health and telemedicine for prevention and management of cancer. If possible, this can be linked with the Cancer Treatment Institute which will collaborate with the national Government departments responsible for health, to promote training of human resources for oncology services. I am thinking of a situation where somebody has been diagnosed with a swelling, but does not know whether it is cancerous or not. So, we will have people on the ground already trained to do biopsy by extracting some liquid from the swelling to assess whether it contains cells that are continuously multiplying without dying. Cancer is modification of cells without dying. Naturally, cells multiply, but die. So, this Bill will create clear linkage by enhancing knowledge for diagnosis, initial treatment of cancer and also conveyancing of this information to various centres where patients can get help. If we can do this at the national level, it will be easy. As some of my colleagues have stated, it is possible to seek treatment outside Kenya. These amendments are significant and key because they will help to reduce costs in various ways. There is the issue of time cost when you have to wait for many days to see a doctor. Also, the travelling cost, if you have to travel from the village to Nairobi to see a doctor and then stay for two or three days. I have had interactions with many cancer patients and I also lost a sister to cancer. So, I have real life experience. When you visit any family, they will tell you about their interaction with a cancer patient who either died or survived. Cancer is highly curable if identified at the first or second stage. Some of my colleagues were diagnosed with cancer more than 10 years ago and they were treated and are still alive. So, I thank God for that. It is possible for us not to lose people to cancer if it is diagnosed early. This knowledge should permeate the rural areas, so that people can do basic diagnosis and be recommended for treatment to specialised centres through the electronic conveyance of information and telemedicine. This will reduce costs and anxiety. It will enable us advice patients appropriately. We will be able to know if a patient will survive cancer or if palliative care is needed for a to live. These amendments are significant and will create huge turnaround in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. I support."
}