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{
    "id": 247797,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/247797/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 193,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Maj. Madoka",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 254,
        "legal_name": "Marsden Herman Madoka",
        "slug": "marsden-madoka"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I rise to support this Bill. Indeed, it is long overdue. We are glad that it is now before us. Obviously, Kenya has done a lot to try and ensure that we reduce the HIV/AIDS prevalence. The fact that we came down from 13 per cent to 6.1 per cent prevalence rate is a clear indication that the Government and the Kenyan people have been doing a lot. I believe there is still a lot more to be done. I am glad to say that I have witnessed in many areas, the chiefs, district officers and other leaders speaking openly about this pandemic. I think we should continue to do so. The Bill is well set out and it contains a lot of issues which have been affecting us and which will now be taken care of by it. I think the Bill covers education and information extremely well. I agree with the previous speaker, that we need to take care of the CBOs or people who are supposed to be talking about HIV/AIDS awareness. We know there are many people who really know about it, but these CBOs and NGOs go round talking about it. They do not provide any new or valuable information at all. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the area which concerns me is the question of confidentiality. This is an area which we have to think about very carefully. For example, we say that when blood is tested and it is found to contain the HIV/AIDS virus, then it is disposed of and left at that. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, if blood is tested and found to contain the virus that causes HIV/AIDS, I think the institution handling that blood must have the responsibility to inform the individual donor, of that finding, so that he can start taking the necessary precautions to safeguard himself and others. So, I would like to see some sort of amendment to Clause 10(2) to make provision for the individual who has been tested to be informed of his or her HIV positive status. The blood should not just be disposed of and the matter left at that, June 8, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1253 because it is our aim to eventually encourage everybody to know his HIV status, so that people who are HIV positive can stop spreading HIV/AIDS. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is also need for us to ensure that HIV testing is made a pre- condition for individuals to be considered for certain engagements. In fact, the Bill states that HIV testing should not be made a pre-condition for certain things. However, I think, for instance, we should provide for HIV/AIDS pre-testing of would-be couples before marriage to avoid the spread of HIV/AIDS. I know that this will not be a very popular provision but if I was going to get married - thank God I will not at this age - I would tell my partner: \"You must get tested before we get together.\" So, I think there is need to look at this particular clause."
}