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"id": 905172,
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"speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Zani",
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"legal_name": "Agnes Zani",
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"content": "something that is linked to the theme of the Motion that we had earlier on street children. She asked what we are doing about children, especially the ones who have disabilities or specific diseases and how they are taken care of. Again, you find a serious concession and focus that needs to go into that direction to identify who they are and how they can be helped. We need to have a level of affirmative action or money that can be extended specifically to these people so that their specific health concerns are taken care of over time. In the long run, many of the people with this disease live for a long time and they are able, at the end of the day, to make a contribution. However, because there is no understanding, the level of comforting and continuously encouraging such a person who has such a disease becomes difficult. This Motion is, therefore, very key. I congratulate Sen. Shiyonga for bringing it. The whole establishment of nationwide centres and satellite clinics for sickle cell anemia across the county and sub-counties and wards is important. I know that in the urban areas the level of identification and dealing with sickle cell disease is low. So, you can imagine how much more difficult it is to detect it at the levels of ward or sub-counties. The test to ascertain whether somebody has sickle cell anemia is not difficult. Therefore, it is quick and possible to identify who has the disease so that it is addressed. Again this Motion is contextualized within the nexus of Article 43 of the Constitution which provides that- “Every person has the right- (a) to the highest attainable standards of health which includes the right to health care services, including reproduction health care.” The spotlighting for sickle cell anemia is critical as one of the key areas. I have not seen statistics that tells whether it is increasing or not. This is because basically, a lot of the time, it is a hereditary disease and not contributed to external factors. Therefore, it is difficult for us to tell whether it is on the increase in terms of the numbers over time. However, there seems to be a consistent pattern. I do not know whether we have that option in this country but other countries have pre-medical tests that give a pre-disposition for specific diseases. For example, if somebody has a hereditary gene, in this specific case for sickle cell disease, when the hereditary gene comes from one parent, it does not pass on. However, in situations where it comes from two parents, then it will be passed on. Therefore, it is possible to pre-screen and look at the specific issues and places where there is a lot of predominance to find out what could be the precipitating factors that could lead to this so that it is addressed once and for all. The Health Act as part of a national health system has not delved into this to ensure that people are able to, in a very progressive and equitable manner, address the issues of health. Therefore, this is important. This Motion urges the national Government and county governments to establish these centers and ensure that through them, the management, counseling and actual addressing of sickle cell anemia becomes a reality at the end of the day. This is because, where that care has been put into place, it is possible for somebody to live, be functional and contribute to nationwide development. I know that there are certain centres, for example, the Texas Cancer Centre (TCC), in USA. When somebody who has sickle cell anemia goes to that centre, there The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}