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{
    "id": 554339,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/554339/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 276,
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "From the outset, I think that this is perhaps one of the very difficult Bills to make. As has been mentioned by my colleague Senator, there are many faiths and individuals who have varied opinions regarding a Bill like this one. I think that this Bill is in tandem with the current technology. With the current technology, it is only worthwhile to use it to solve some of the problems that have been outstanding for a long time. Technology has developed so far that things that previously caused sterility on individuals are no longer of that significance. For example, the closure of fallopian tubes should no longer be a reason for being barren or having no children, given the current technology. I am glad that this Bill has tried to define a way in which this can be done and how advantages of technology can be utilized to make sure that some of the things that have been difficult in the past are no longer impossible to do. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, secondly, we are aware that in this country we have several cases of child theft in various institutions of health and hospitals. The Senate Committee on Health is currently dealing with a very difficult case of missing twins from Pumwani Maternity Hospital. I am sure that to a very large extent the reason for these child thefts is because of childlessness of many parents. Therefore, with the arrival of a good Bill like this one, that defines how we can use technology, I am sure that to a very large extent, we are also going to reduce the urge to snatch other people’s children, both at home and in health facilities. Therefore, I support this Bill because it addresses some of the challenges that we have seen in the past. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, recently, we were in Kampala for a ministerial health conference and various things were addressed, one of which was maternal child health and mortality. You would be surprised to know that of all the East and Central African countries, Kenya continues to have the highest maternal mortality in this region. Losing 292 mothers for every 100,000 childbirths is such a high figure that we cannot afford at all costs. These mothers die, not because they are sick, but just in the process of delivering babies. Therefore, there should be no reason why we should not use the technology and knowledge that we have to ensure that these mothers are safe. This Bill addresses some of those challenges in order to reduce this mortality. This has been done by our neighbouring countries. We were very impressed by Burundi, the poorest of the countries in the East and Central Africa, having reduced the maternal mortality to just over 102 mothers for every100,000 childbirths. It is the lowest in the East African Region and this is simply because they have put together laws and regulations that are able to manage these cases and also attract funding. Once there are programmes that have been laid down and they are well understood, funders will come in and assist. The passage of this Bill in 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."
}