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{
    "id": 16449,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/16449/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 329,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Prof. Anyang-Nyong’o",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister for Medical Services",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 193,
        "legal_name": "Peter Anyang' Nyong'o",
        "slug": "peter-nyongo"
    },
    "content": " I am concluding. This report was followed by media allegations that the four children had died from lack of oxygen. Immediately after the report, senior health officials and others from the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board immediately visited Thinka Level 5 Hospital to determine whether the deaths had occurred due to lack of oxygen. For the purpose of ensuring objectivity in the investigations, the Ministry requested the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board, which is the corporate body that regulates the professional conduct of doctors, to take the lead in determining whether hospital staff had caused the deaths. Officials from the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board and the Ministry examined treatment records for the four babies. They also recorded statements from hospital workers who were involved in the management of the patients. They further recorded a statement from one patient as others did not turn up, despite being invited to come forward. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the findings, as I conclude, are the following: One, that the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board found that the children did not die from lack of oxygen or professional negligence, but from the severity of their illnesses as described above. Therefore, the Ministry of Medical Services regrets the deaths of the four children, which occurred due to unavoidable circumstances despite the efforts of health workers to save their lives. The health workers in the country are working under very difficult conditions to care for patients within their professional mandate. We wish to advise the House and members of the public that treatment for children under five years is free in public hospitals, and anybody charging children is doing an illegal thing. We, therefore, urge parents and guardians to take advantage of this facility and present their children for treatment in good time to avoid complications and death. Quite often people go to hospitals when it is rather late and when it is only God who can come to our help. We can try to treat but God heals."
}