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{
    "id": 1338528,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1338528/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 113,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Uasin Gishu County, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Gladys Boss",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "The main challenge in the treatment of addiction is not the lack of treatment centres, but the fact that treatment is not covered by most insurance companies. The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) only pays a maximum of Ksh60,000, which is hardly sufficient to treat someone for eight weeks. Addiction must be viewed as a chronic illness such as cancer, or diabetes, which requires long-term and sufficient treatment. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I also wish to bring to the attention of this House the Mental Health Taskforce that was established in 2019. It came up with very clear recommendations on how to deal with substance abuse and other mental illnesses. Like we have said, it is an illness and not substance abuse. Substance abuse is a mental illness. It was clear that there needs to be awareness relating to it as an illness so that the stigmatisation can end, and people can seek treatment. People do not seek treatment because of the stigma around mental health issues. If you told your employer that you want sick leave because you have an addiction problem, there are chances they will fire you. If you raise the issue with your insurer that you need to check into rehab and get treatment, they will tell you that you have a pre-existing condition, and therefore, they do not cover it."
}