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{
    "id": 1567473,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1567473/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 500,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Veronica Maina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "It is sad that when this matter was finally brought to the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council, it took so long for a determination to be done. It look long for them to determine whether the hospital and the doctors were negligent or not. This thing was so dramatic. After a long process and a long wait, they finally found that Dr. Stephen Odingo and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital were negligent and each was fined Kshs200,000 and Kshs350,000 respectively. I do not know if that money was paid but it is what I would call peppercorn. We had needless loss of life. Our Government spends quite a substantial amount of money to take us through university education. Most doctors in Kenya have been trained in our public institutions, just like many of us who have gone through public institutions at the university level. Our doctors are well trained. Many sick people have gone to hospital and have recovered fully after five or six operations. We appreciate the doctors for the successful procedures they have done. We have delivered in those hospitals, and the babies were okay. There are many good things in our hospitals, but we only focus on what has not gone well. Why? This is because medicine is not like engineering, where a mistake can be corrected or a house can be demolished, and rebuilt. Medical negligence, once committed, is often irreversible. It destroys the patient, the family and many others along the line. That is why we insist that the findings of this Report must mark the end of the widespread negligence we see in hospitals. Hospitals must conduct self-inspections and doctors must take responsibility for managing medical negligence in Kenya. Annita is not the only one who has suffered. There are many people who do not know what to do, how to petition Parliament, or where to seek help. If there were proper self-governance within the doctors' boards and medical boards, it would be much easier to manage cases of negligence. I also recognize that doctors and hospitals are overwhelmed. Doctors are overworked. It calls for an integrated, thorough and multifaceted approach to ensure we have doctors who are not only well-remunerated, but also not overworked. When they are in the theatre, their decisions should not be compromised by exhaustion or long working hours. We urge the Standing Committee on Health not to let this Report gather dust on the shelves of the Senate. It must be reviewed by the Cabinet Secretary for Health, and all hospitals to help reduce instances of negligence. Of course, Annita’s family should be"
}