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{
    "id": 929253,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/929253/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 246,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Pareno",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13180,
        "legal_name": "Judith Ramaita Pareno",
        "slug": "judith-ramaita-pareno"
    },
    "content": "FURTHER AWARE that most health facilities under the county governments are not well equipped with modern technological facilities and requisite personnel, leading to loss of lives especially from preventable and curable diseases; RECOGNIZING that the government, through the National Broadband Policy, has developed more advanced communications and efficient ICT systems with good fibre connection network covering a majority of the counties; FURTHER COGNIZANT that the lack of structured engagement through technology between the county and national referral hospitals is impacting on quality of health service provision in the county and referral health facilities; NOW THEREFORE, the Senate resolves that the national Government - 1. fully and urgently implements the Health Act, No.21 of 2017; 2. further collaborates with county governments to initiate and develop an ICT and teleconferencing policy framework; and, 3. facilitates connecting all county health facilities to each other and to the national referral hospitals with a view to ensure seamless and efficient medical consultation between and among medical personnel and health facilities. Madam Temporary Speaker, I wish to give a little background as to why I came up with this Motion. A situational analysis of the current state of health facilities in Kenya compared with sister countries like Ghana and Rwanda, which is next door, would definitely call for such a teleconferencing technology and policy framework. Madam Temporary Speaker, for us to provide proper health services, we require very good infrastructure; physical infrastructure, We need beds for in-patients, equipment, transport and accessibility to these facilities. For us to deliver, we definitely need technology, including proper ICT services. As of now, we are told that the Ministry of Health has not established any call centres. It also has no proper, either county or national coordination of management of health services; like the coordination of ambulances or emergency services. Without this proper coordination and linkage between our hospitals and the smooth running of services, access is, therefore, limited. Madam Temporary Speaker, technology has come in to ease and make it easy for us to operate in many fields that you can talk about in this country. For health services, we cannot be left out when it comes to access using information, communication and technology. We have very limited funding when it comes to how to roll out our universal healthcare. We even do not have proper access in terms of road infrastructure. While we appreciate that the Government has done a bit by introducing universal health care (UHC) for everybody, we still have to do a lot for our populations to service the needs that they require. Madam Temporary Speaker, I am going to give an example of Ghana and they are doing. I will also give an example of what our dear sister country, Rwanda, is doing in terms of using technology to ensure that there is accessibility to our health services. We do not have to compare ourselves to very big, international bodies or even other foreign 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."
}