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{
    "id": 554335,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/554335/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 272,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "May 26th, 2015 SENATE DEBATES 35 Sen. (Dr.) Machage",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, matters of reproduction, bearing of children and how children are made, most often are difficult subjects or a taboo to discuss in some communities. I congratulate Sen. Sijeny for coming up with this Bill. This Bill will not only enhance this kind of process but make it safe for the mother, child and practitioner. Therefore, this Bill which has several parts is well intended. It is not a “condom” Bill like some people said. It talks about reproductive health care, safe motherhood; it defines who medical practitioners are; it talks about assisted reproduction and so on. However, I am concerned with Part V which talks about termination of pregnancy. If you read through, this chapter will open a practice that may not be accepted in this country by opening up abortion to all manner of practitioners of health. When you say that a pregnancy may be terminated by a trained professional--- According to the definition of a trained professional by Sen. Sijeny, she includes medical practitioners, clinical officers, midwives and general nurses, some of whom the training they get may not be sufficient to carry out this kind of procedure. She continues to say that a decision will be made by anyone of these. She says further that termination of pregnancy at the first trimester, which means, the first three months may be carried out by any of these. As a trained doctor, the most difficult time to procure an abortion usually is around the fourth month of pregnancy. The first month and second months may be easy, but the third, fourth, fifth and sixth months are difficult because there is difficulty in placental detachment from the uterus. Allowing paramedics or quasi-trained personnel on the medical subject to carry out a procedure, when they have not even been trained on matters of surgery and gynecology is a little bit opening up a loophole for malpractice. We will end up having an increase in maternal deaths, statistics which we are already concerned about. We have about 400 per 1,000 maternal deaths in this country. It is so easy to kill a mother at this level because of bleeding. Therefore, the whole of this part needs to be amended, and I am going to come up with those amendments, to make it professionally acceptable; to limit the people who may have a bearing on making decisions on this issue and maybe even seeking the opinion of a psychiatrist on matters of mental illness when deciding on procuring an abortion. I beg that every Member of this House reads Part V carefully and sees the hazards that it opens up. Actually, this Part, as prescribed to us by Sen. Sijeny, may be a prerequisite for the rejection of a well intended Bill. We, therefore, need to look at it, especially those who have a professional mind, to try and direct Sen. Sijeny to give us a document and law that will be acceptable by both practitioners and the church. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I need not say more than that. Thank you."
}