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"id": 6795,
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"speaker_name": "Dr. Monda",
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"legal_name": "Robert Onsare Monda",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, if we want to improve the outcome of cancer treatment in our institute and living with and beyond cancer--- After treatment, there is need to provide programmes to support and empower patients throughout their cancer journeys. Cancer is a disease which lasts long. Therefore, there is need for the Government and the country, to be prepared to empower the people throughout their journey. There is need to improve information flow for patients. There must be a three way partnership between cancer back-up, cancer research and cancer support groups to provide patients with high quality information, tailored to their individual needs. There is need to ensure that patients and their families experience good and continuing care. Any other person around them needs psychological support because of the torture. We cannot ignore the people surrounding the patient and look at the patient alone. The children, mothers, fathers and other relatives around a cancer patient need to be attended to. The Government and the country need to be prepared to address this. This is what we look forward to getting from the institute. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the national cancer survivorship initiative, in partnership with cancer charities and patients, needs to develop strategies to improve services and support for cancer survivors. There is need to reduce cancer inequalities, where those who are able in society afford cancer treatment and those who are not die, even without being diagnosed that they are dying of cancer; we should narrow the margin between the lowest Kenyan and the highest Kenyan in terms of income, so that we reduce the cancer inequalities in this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have already indicated that we want to establish a cancer institute. I have also indicated what the cancer institute will be able to do for this country. Therefore, the functions of the institute will include establishment of hospitals all over the country. Through the cancer institute, we will need to encourage and secure provision of diagnostic treatment, rehabilitation and other medical care to persons with cancer in the institutions we want to create in many parts of this country. We have indicated that we want a law that will bring equity in services provided to Kenyans. As I conclude, I want to indicate that I congratulate the Minister for Medical Services, hon. (Prof.) Anyang’-Nyong’o, who is a victim of this disease, and who has come out to fight not only the disease in himself, but also the disease in the rest of Kenyans, who may not be able to do it outside this House or in the country and globally. Many Kenyans, as I have indicated, seek treatment abroad. We need to address this so as to bring services home and make them affordable to all our people. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in this Bill, we are proposing that we will have a cancer registry which will be in every county, so that within a period of 60 days, we can get a picture of the cancer situation prevailing in this country. The data will indicate the frequency of the occurrence and the types of cancer, as well as the geographical locations of the various cancers. Research from the institute and the registry will give us indications of what the country expects to encounter, be it in terms of personnel, doctors, nurses and other personnel and financial resources. The registry will also indicate the institutions, associations and organisations, including those controlled and managed by the Government and local authorities that provide care and treatment services for persons with cancer. All our facilities screening cancer will be able to report to the registry. This will enable the Government to know how to go about cancer in terms of preparedness to provide treatment. I do not want to leave behind the education and information that is needed for our children as I have already indicated earlier on and the population as a whole. The national Government together with this institute will have to prepare the population and come up with programmes for our schools so that we prepare our children as early as possible. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is need for the country, under this education programme for cancer prevention and control to form part of our health care system. Through this Bill, we shall have the cancer prevention and control programmes disseminated by the Central Government and the population will be prepared. With all these many remarks, I would like to indicate that we are asking the Government to come up with an amendment so that there is an indication that the Government will set a budget line to provide for all the requirements and make this key Bill workable. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move and ask Dr. Nuh, who is the Vice-Chair of the Health Committee, to second."
}