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{
    "id": 882693,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/882693/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 221,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tharaka, DP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. George Gitonga",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13491,
        "legal_name": "George Gitonga Murugara",
        "slug": "george-gitonga-murugara"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker. I have sat here for quite some time. I am told the gadget had misbehaved as usual but I am happy I have caught your eye. I rise to support this very important Motion that touches on the healthcare of Kenyan citizens. Diabetes is one of the diseases that are really affecting our people and it is important that it is actually addressed in a manner that makes our lives to be in uniform with the cardinal agenda we have in the Big Four Agenda, which is universal healthcare. It has been argued and it is a statement of fact that this is a lifestyle disease which really can be prevented or tackled in a manner that is more humane than most of the diseases that we suffer from. However, the biggest problem we have is lack of medication and the medication we have is also very expensive. As part of the universal healthcare in the Big Four Agenda, we should lessen the burden of medication on all diseases, including diabetes such that Kenyans are able to afford these medicines without digging deeper into their pockets. We also need health facilities, especially in the less fortunate and marginalised areas where you can find that one dispensary is far away from another dispensary and the citizens have to walk long distances to have their medical needs attended to. I have in mind my constituency, Tharaka, where I have constantly informed the Government that there is need for intervention and that intervention may be affirmative or otherwise to ensure that we have sufficient health facilities from the local authorities, the county government and also from the national Government. It is also important to note that food is important especially in curbing diseases like these. Where there is food scarcity or where those affected by diabetes do not have the right type of food to consume, it aggravates the problem. Therefore, it is the duty of the Government to ensure that food is provided in all quarters, schools and areas that are affected so that we tackle this problem. When we were in school, we learned that there were two types of diabetes. There is diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus. Today, I may not be able to tell with a lot of accuracy what the difference was but I was told that one is in respect of low blood sugar and the other one was high blood sugar in human beings. Those are conditions. They may not be diseases. They are conditions that require expertise to manage. This is important. The Motion tabled by Hon. Ruweida Obo urges the Government to set up institutions for diagnostic testing in respect of diabetes in all work places and community settings and to provide education. We do not have sufficient education. We do not know what these are especially in the The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}