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{
    "id": 536817,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/536817/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 135,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Elachi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13115,
        "legal_name": "Beatrice Elachi",
        "slug": "beatrice-elachi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I also rise to support the Report and to also thank the Committee for I know they have done very extensive work. I also want to thank all the stakeholders who attended the public hearings. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is time we gave a very clear recommendation to the CRA, that it will be prudent if every December we receive their recommendations on this Bill because that is what the Constitution says. We are hoping that this year we shall start on a new slate and ensure that within Article 216 of this Constitution we are able to agree and follow the procedure to the end. I would also like to talk on two other issues with regard to this Bill. First, is the issue of equipment. I want to thank Sen. (Dr.) Machage because it was in 2013 when he brought before this House a Motion urging the Government to ensure that all Level 5 and Level 4 hospitals are provided with this equipment. The Constitution of Kenya, 2010, in Article 43 states that every person has the right to health. Women are the ones who suffer in this country when it comes to issues of equipment. When a woman in Turkana is taken ill and she wants to do dialysis, she must travel to Eldoret. That is because we only have four ICUs in this country; Nakuru, Mombasa. Eldoret and Nairobi. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we talk about this equipment, this was a tender that was floated way back in November 2013 and the companies that were awarded were very serious companies that even a Kenyan who would have wished to be part of this could not. We are talking about companies like Philips from the Netherlands and General Electric from the United States of America where we are sourcing radiology equipment. The county that saddens me most is Garissa County where there is only one theatre table. During the recent terrorist attack in Garissa, the Government had to fly to Garissa six surgeons who were unable to work because there was only one theatre table. If, indeed, we had that equipment, today the number of casualties would have been less because we had to airlift those who were hurt to KNH. It is also important for us to look at this situation from a different perspective. I want to inform the House that some of us before we became Senators, we supplied goods to the Government through a tendering process. I know how the Ministry has had challenges. When we talk about managing equipment services, in sub-saharan Africa and even in the United Kingdom, this is the procedure they use. One of the things it does is to ensure that you have the same person to maintain the equipment and train the users. This helps to save a lot of money and ensures that taxpayers’ money is properly used. 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."
}