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{
    "id": 904819,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/904819/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 351,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kasanga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13185,
        "legal_name": "Sylvia Mueni Kasanga",
        "slug": "sylvia-mueni-kasanga"
    },
    "content": "illnesses and conditions. Therefore, it is important that we have the right choice of words as we debate this Bill. We must avoid words like ‗lunacy‘ or ‗a mad man‘ at this point in time. We have to remember that, as the Senate, just by virtually debating this Bill, we are becoming the ambassadors. The biggest import or export of this Bill is to fight stigma. Therefore, there is no better way to do that than, as leaders, speak about it, open up and encourage Kenyans that it is about time that we speak on this issue. It is unfortunate that the Government has completely dropped the ball when it comes to mental health. Only by virtue of a bit of pressure once this Bill was published, is when we began to see them trying to do a couple of things. I remember two weeks ago when the Cabinet Secretary (CS), for Health said in the newspapers that they want to fund a couple of mental health institutions a little bit more. I said that this is a far cry to what the Government needs to be doing in terms of intervention. We acknowledge that there was The Mental Health Policy, 2017 that was enacted. However, when it comes to implementation of that, again, it is a far cry. This country still remains far behind when it comes to acknowledging and making strides towards mental health. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as a state of wellbeing, where individuals recognize and realise their abilities, are able to cope with normal stresses of lives, work productively and fruitfully, and make a contribution to their communities. That is a broad definition. From this, we can easily draw that the illnesses come out of somebody being unable to have a full life. There are those that we know medically, for example Schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder or bipolar disorders."
}