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{
    "id": 994136,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/994136/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 230,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Prof.) Ongeri",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 124,
        "legal_name": "Samson Kegeo Ongeri",
        "slug": "samson-ongeri"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity to comment on the Sixth and Seventh Progress Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Situation in Kenya that has been laid before this House. It is an important Report. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken the world by storm. Therefore, any emerging nation must of all necessity be in a state of preparedness in dealing with any nature and manner of the pandemic that may seize that nation. Madam Temporary Speaker, it is important that we, as a nation, are seized of the details on how to react in future pandemics. We learn from the previous lessons. I remember vividly when the HIV/AIDS pandemic came into this country. I was in the forefront of trying to get the response when the President declared it a national disaster. It was only through this process that we were able to access the Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, which were patented and beyond the reach of mwananchi’s affordability. It was important to take that step. It was possible to recruit many people to enter into the treatment regime, so that they could get the benefit of ARV drugs. By that experience alone, we have learnt something about these pandemics. Particularly the HIV/AIDS pandemic, when we had a very high prevalence rates at about an average of 14 per cent, we progressively brought it down to a manageable percentage. We learnt from that experience. It was important, first of all, to have the necessary available drugs to deal with the pandemic. The drugs were manufactured that could deal with that pandemic. Secondly, we were also able to look at the socioeconomic aspect of the disease because it caused a lot of delimitating issues to the families and the stigma that was associated with it. We had to find a way of going around it. It was a manageable disease, and therefore, we could deal with it more firmly. Apart from that, there was also the element of other pandemics that came thereafter, which we were able to deal with quite progressively. Madam Temporary Speaker, one of the things we have learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic is the invasiveness of it to be able to reach out to a vast number of populations in a very uncontrollable manner. We have learnt that social distancing is not just a song, but a necessary element to keep disease at bay. That is the first thing that we have learnt. It has no respect for persons. It does not matter what rank, age and sex orientation you are in; it will catch anybody unawares. We need to know how to react, first of all, as family members, community and society. We need also to know how to react at the county and national level. Obviously, the national Government must give direction on the policy approaches that are needed to deal with this situation. 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."
}