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{
    "id": 233115,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/233115/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 212,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Shaaban",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 139,
        "legal_name": "Naomi Namsi Shaban",
        "slug": "naomi-shaban"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I also would like to add my voice to what has already been said. I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Ojiambo for November 23, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3935 a job well done. The Nutritionists and Dieticians Bill is long overdue. Many diseases affecting the citizens of this country can be avoided if we eat the right foods. We think that the rich have access to a balanced diet. This is not true because all of us can access the right foods. In the rural areas, for example, we find many children suffering from malnutrition, but yet, there are a lot of nutritious foods that are readily available in the farms. People in the rural areas are not trained on what they should feed their children on to avoid such cases of malnutrition. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are all aware that in traditional societies, expectant mothers were only allowed to eat certain traditional foods. Medically, they are supposed to eat a balanced diet. Many of them would suffer from iron deficiency because of imbibing the wrong foods. That is why many of them would end up consuming soil, so that they can take care of such deficiencies. They should be advised on the importance of a balanced diet as this determines their health and that of their unborn babies. They can also avoid blood transfusion before and after birth by taking a balanced diet. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, some of the viral diseases such as Hepatitis can be contained if people avoid eating certain proteins. However, people must be given proper advice, so that they know which foods to eat or avoid. There are many diabetics in this country who have lost their lives because their spouses or families have not been trained on the management of this disease. Most of the dieticians advise that by eating the right diet, we can control the disease. I believe that many diseases can be controlled if patients consulted nutritionists on their food management. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, on the registration of the nutritionists and dieticians, I want to agree with Dr. Kibunguchy that we do not want to get into problems, like we are experiencing with some existing boards. It is important for this Bill to come out very clearly on the issue of people who have been trained as certificate, diploma or degree holders. If we peg training to at least a minimum of four years for a degree holder, this is rather unfair because in quite a number of countries people train for degrees for two to three years. This particular Board would leave out important people like those ones who have trained in other countries. Now we have the 8- 4-4 system of Education where students get degrees after four years. Prior to it, we had the 7-4-2-3 system where students were getting degrees within three years. It is important for us not to talk about the number of years we take to train. But it is important for people to be registered right from the certificate to the degree level. However, the board needs to come up with ways of upgrading certificate holders to diploma holders and diploma holders to degree holders. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support."
}