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"content": "country. Therefore, it is important that we resort to ICT to try and address some of these problems. This is because the alternative of trying to provide for qualified consultants, surgeons and doctors is a very long-term activity. It will, probably, take about 15 years to produce one consultant in the medical field. It is, therefore, going to be almost impossible to provide all these hospitals in the county governments with the requisite consultants. We know that without this qualified personnel, definitely, the quality of health service offered in our county hospitals will be hampered significantly. It is, therefore, important that we resort to using what is current, applicable and useful. Madam Temporary Speaker, at the moment, the health sector spends a lot of time ferrying patients from one hospital in one county to another hospital in another county. This, of course, is a very time consuming exercise, apart from the fact that it is expensive to move patients from one hospital to another. In fact, by moving patients from one hospital to another in the state in which they are, we are actually putting them to great risk, suffering and pain. It is, therefore, important that we look at other ways in which we can offer the same kind of treatment without inconveniencing the patients. Madam Temporary Speaker, we are aware also that there are possibilities that epidemics can occur in the country. If we do not use the current ICT, where information moves very fast, it might be difficult to contain some of the epidemics in one area. If we have a cholera epidemic, for example, it is important that we confine it to a very small area so that we can contain it. This can only be done if we can move information quickly. This is the reason this Motion suggests or recommends that we look at Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) as one of the ways of tackling some of the pending problems that currently exist in our county hospitals. Madam Temporary Speaker, I just want to speak to two things; one is the medical investigation equipment. In the hospitals which are operating at the moment nationally and in the counties, we have certain equipment that is being used. This equipment is very useful and can be used; it exists at the moment in the county hospitals. We have CT Scans, MRI and X-Ray. This is equipment that is available and easily attainable, unlike attaining a qualified consultant. It is easy to go into a shop and purchase this equipment. I am glad to say that some counties have the equipment at the moment. This is equipment which we can have easily and cheaply. One excellent thing about the equipment is that these days, it is coming with attachments that can be utilized for information transfer. That is the beauty about some of the equipment with attachments that can communicate with other equipment elsewhere; they can also transfer images. This is one of the areas that we need to utilize quickly, so that we can expand the level of diagnosis and treatment that we can offer to our clients, even though we do not have enough consultants. With the equipment, it is very possible that one consultant can provide consulting services to numerous hospitals. One consultant can assist several clients or patients at one time while operating from only one hospital. This is courtesy of this technology that has come in as a result of the innovations that have gone on. So, that is one thing that we should look at and put into maximum use in our hospitals. The availability of specialized equipment can transfer information. Secondly, Madam Temporary Speaker, the methods in which this information is transferred is through the Fibre Optic Cables (FOC). I want to say here that we are The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}