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"id": 210270,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/210270/?format=api",
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Sungu",
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"speaker": {
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"legal_name": "Gor Eric Sungu",
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"content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, it was with a light touch, but I would like to thank the able Minister for the good work she is doing, the Assistant Minister as well and the staff of the Ministry for doing a good job at the Ministry. I will just raise a few issues because am acutely aware that this Vote has been discussed over several days. One of the issues close to my heart is the question of tobacco control. I am glad to note that the Ministry is now pushing the Bill on tobacco control on the Floor of the House, and we might get to the Committee Stage soon. The Minister, when moving the Vote, talked about drug-resistant Tuberculosis (TB). I want to draw the attention of the House to the fact that drug- resistant TB is somehow related to tobacco. If this House would go ahead and do that, it will be a very great thing for the Ministry. The other thing that I wanted to say is what my colleague was saying about memorial hospitals. If there was any justice in this world, then the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Hospital in Kisumu, otherwise known as \"Russia\" or \"Nyanza General Provincial Hospital\" would by now have been a referral hospital because of population density. The area it covers, from Kuria all the way to Northern Tanzania, Kisii Highlands, Kericho, parts of Nandi, Busia and Kitale, make it really deserve to be upgraded to referral status. I hope that the Minister is listening, because these are some of the issues that are very important to the people of this country. As we are talking, I note that the allocation for the provincial hospital is talking about purchase of equipment but there is no allocation for it. However, they have allocated a mere Kshs746,907 for X-ray equipment. For a hospital serving such a large population, we should be having better provision for more equipment, so that people do not have to come to Nairobi. We are so lucky, because I can see a host of professionals from that Ministry sitting in this place, who come from that same area. Their parents and relatives go to this hospital. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as I talk about the allocations, even for the Kisumu District Hospital, the August 7, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2997 allocation in the Recurrent Vote is a mere Kshs111,709. That is for buildings, and another Kshs1.6 million for development of buildings. Kisumu District Hospital is one of the oldest hospitals in this country. It is a shame that in this hospital, almost all the buildings are dilapidated. They are old and falling into pieces, and it is difficult to imagine how patients can sit in a so-called \"amenity ward\" when the ceiling is coming down, or the paint is peeling off. This is a case for exercising what is called \"affirmative action\" to make sure that some sort of financing is provided for some of these old hospitals. I note that the total net Recurrent Estimate has increased by some Kshs411 million from Kshs22.2 billion last year to Kshs22.6 in the current year. I am glad to note that some of this is because of increased salaries. It is so bad that we can have somebody training for five years and more, because they have to spend another one year as an intern to become a doctor, and then pay them peanuts. That is the reason why we have some professionals who have been trained at a great expense by this country, using our meagre resources, going to some other countries like Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and others. You will be shocked to note that we are now even exporting medical personnel to the UK and the USA. Our nurses are going there. Why? It is because we have refused to remunerate them accordingly, or to give them enough money. When they are doing risky jobs, jobs which require them to work almost 24 hours a day at odd hours, they should get proper remuneration. It is unfair and illogical that we should underpay our professionals in that manner. If we do not make sure that our people are properly remunerated, then we will never have enough personnel. We might not even have some of the personnel we have in this House if they are not satisfied that they are well paid. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the other thing that I wanted to note is the question of the National Aids Control Programme. I note that the Ministry has allocated some Kshs56 million for this programme. This is despite the fact that the National Aids Control Council (NACC) is still in the Office of the President. I want to say, and we have said it here year after year, that the Office of the President does not have the professionals to address the issue regarding HIV/AIDS as effectively as the Ministry of Health. On that note, we want to appeal to this Government once again to ensure that this Council is brought to where the professionals are, namely in the Ministry of Health. Let us now look at the question of mental health services. This is an area which has been largely ignored. I do not know whether it is because of stigma, or why we do not give enough attention to our people. The situation is so bad that we do not have enough facilities for mental patients. It is a shame to us, as a country and a people, to see people walking in the streets naked, because of mental illness. I dare to say that an illness is an illness, whether it is malaria, HIV/AIDS or mental illness. It should be treated as such, and people should not attach stigma to any of these diseases. When talking about that, I would like to draw the Minister's attention to the fact that, because of the lack of medical facilities to take care of mental patients, some people have resulted to exotic means of treating these patients. In my own constituency, there is a church called \"the Coptic Church of Africa\", which is now treating mental patients. That is despite the fact that, the hospital does not have any licence to do so. That is happening right in front of the eyes of the Ministry and the Government. It is inhuman to chain somebody because he or she is sick, to the extent that bones and wounds are showing! Those people are not trained to handle mental patients. That so-called church is taking people there, detaining them and the Government is watching. If I was the Minister today, I would order that facility to be closed. If we do not have enough facilities we can, at least, convert one room to make sure that those patients are treated under qualified medical attention. I do not know of any church that can treat mental patients without proper medical professionals. In addition to prayers, there are efforts. We need professional effort. I want to ask this Ministry to ensure that, that facility is closed down forthwith. If the Minister wants information on 2998 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES August 7, 2007 where that facility is, I will gladly show her. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there are other issues like environmental health, which are very important. But people are still not looking at them properly. The mere allocation of Kshs287 million is simply not enough. The question of control of communicable diseases is very serious. We have had cases of Bird Flu and Ebola . God knows what will come tomorrow. We also need to sensitize that department to ensure that our borders and people are well-guarded against foreign diseases that we are ill-equipped to control. Mr. Speaker, Sir, finally, I want to appeal to this Ministry to, at least, with the professionals that we have, ensure that foreign bodies carrying out research in this country are well controlled and supervised. Only the other day, after making a small contribution to some home somewhere in Karen, we were ashamed to find out that they were doing research on our children on HIV/AIDS without the permission of the Ministry. That sort of thing should not be allowed to happen. There are some things going on at KEMRI in Kisumu. The CDC is doing things that even our people are not aware of. I want the Ministry to assure me that KEMRI has full control of CDC. There is no country which can boast of being independent and sovereign if it will let its matters be handled by other countries, however powerful or rich they are. Mr. Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support."
}