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{
    "id": 678831,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/678831/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 265,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "July 20, 2016 SENATE DEBATES 32 Sen. Karaba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me a chance to contribute in support of this Bill. To me, it is an important Bill and it has been brought at the right time when counties are struggling to devolve medical facilities and equipment to the counties. This Bill should have been introduced immediately we attained Independence. If you visit the countryside, you will get the surprise of your lifetime. Many people die due to lack of medical care and ignorance. The National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) should provide services at the village level to reach “Wanjiku”. This Bill is important to most Kenyans. Many Kenyans - when they get sick - they only pray to God to heal them. Some of them pray facing Mt. Kenya or wherever they believe their God resides. It is due to ignorance that they do not know what to do, and also lack of money. It is extremely expensive to get sick in the rural areas. Most times when they get sick, they eventually die because they cannot access medical care. For example, imagine somebody in the northern part of Kenya who requires specialized treatment in Nairobi at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) or Nairobi Hospital. He has to be flown to save his life. How many choppers do we have to patrol some of those areas as they do reconnaissance tours to see what is happening in the villages? How are our roads? How fast can a patient be rushed to Nairobi Hospital during peak hours in this city? It is impossible to transport a patient to Nairobi Hospital or even KNH between 5.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. because of traffic jams. Our people are ignorant that even when they hear the siren, motorists will not give way to the ambulances. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we have a lot to learn from our friends in other countries like South Korea, Japan, Britain or the United States of America (USA). For example, in London and other towns in the world, there are designated lanes for ambulances, the traffic police and public buses. That road is not used by any other motorist. We do not have such a road here. I remember that in the Ninth Parliament, I moved a Motion where I proposed for us to have a lane designated for use by ambulances, fire brigades and visiting dignitaries instead of holding traffic for one person to pass or pave way for ambulances. Not very many people know what an ambulance siren means. Therefore, you will find some people taking advantage to follow ambulances, others are blocking the road and others taking advantage of the road paved for ambulances. Some time the patient ends up dying before getting to the hospital. Ambulances are sometimes forced to use the opposite side of traffic. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, those are some of the problems that we must understand in order to know why we have to suffer in the medical field. It is also important to note that ours is not a welfare state like Britain and the USA. The state pays for services which are rendered by the Government. We are yet to get to that level here. The NHIF is one way towards making Kenya a welfare State in East Africa. We will be proud to be in that category. We should be able to take care of the elderly in our society. Part of our population is aging yet we do not have facilities that will give them free medical care. We do not provide enough medicine to our people. Some of them have to wonder whether to use money to feed their children or to go to hospital. They end up dying due to lack of medical care, medicine, hospitals and knowledge. 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"
}