Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 621670,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/621670/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 288,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "proper care as human beings. At the moment, our income levels are so low. Once you are diagnosed with cancer, you will require strong medicine to control pain but you cannot even afford pain killers associated with cancer. I see Sen (Dr.) Kuti nodding because he is a professional. Where do our people in the rural areas get the money to buy this medicine? It is only through organisations and a network of hospices that we will be able to take care of these patients, even in their homes and provide them with the much needed medicine to relieve the pain that accompanies this disease. It is very important that we have a body at the county level that will create awareness, ensure there is proper diagnostic equipment and early diagnosis of cancer patients. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, issues of prevention initiatives like early diagnosis, environment, pollution of water and also, Sen. (Prof.) Anyang'-Nyong'o talked about a very important part of cancer prevention; that is, the issue off nutrition. A cancer victim requires healthy and nutritious food in constant supply. Again, like we said when we were talking about HIV/AIDS prevention, this must be accompanied by support to families who have patients with this condition. Right now, for example, we have put in place measures to prevent and even take care of terminally ill HIV/AIDS victims. I think that is the way to go now in as far as cancer is concerned. That is why, again, the issue of taking statistics comes in to ensure that every community in a county or - I believe that this committee will go down to the grassroots - every village is aware of the victims of this calamity and that they are taken care of by way of counselling and ensuring that they get the necessary medicine to relieve the pain. If we do that and cover counties very well, we will certainly be serving the people that we are supposed to serve. Let me say that let it not just be another Bill to be passed by this House. Let us see action being taken because it is so critical that we have these people who are victims of disease, not of their making, taken care of.We must also have proper budgets to provide medicines for relieving pain. Is it possible to do that now and yet when I go to some health institutions I find that even Panadol is not available? The other day my driver was suffering from severe headache and I stopped at a health centre in my county. I was shocked to be told that there was no Panadol in the hospital. What about medicine for relieving cancer pain? This is why I say we must have proper budgets that will ensure that all people who suffer from cancer are taken care of, from diagnosis to counseling at hospices level, so that they may live comfortable lives just like others. Early diagnosis is important because if cancer is diagnosed early, cure will be found. I beg to support."
}