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"id": 1400531,
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"speaker_name": "Sen. Ogola",
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"content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I beg to move- THAT the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Bill, (Senate Bills 17 of 2023) be read a Second Time. I am happy that I am moving it amidst the background that there is a challenging situation in this sector when medics are on strike. From the onset, I would like to state that medics are very important in the implementation of this Bill. Therefore, as a country and a House, we must take note of the challenge that the medics face. Earlier, I heard Sen. Cherarkey say that it is only the Council of Governors (CoG) that should take the major blame or role in solving the medics’ challenge. However, the buck stops with the President because he is the Head of State. So, he must look into the problem that the doctors have. Each one of us that has interacted with doctors knows the many years that they take as they undertake their studies. This is an area of profession where there is a lot of precision and passion. For what it takes one to become a doctor or nurse and the services they give to our people, as a country, we must look at their welfare. If you look at what the doctors are asking for, I do not think that it is too much. The Bill proposes to enhance the status of maternal healthcare to the required international standards. This Bill seeks to create a framework for the well-being of pregnant mothers, new-borns and children up to 12 years. I will start by giving a brief background. The 2022 Demographic Health Survey states that there is a percentage of women aged 15 to 19 years. Those are purely adolescents who have ever been pregnant. If you go down to the statistics, in Samburu County, it is 50 per cent; 36 per cent West Pokot, 29 per cent in Marsabit; Narok, 28 per cent; Meru, 24 per cent; in Homa Bay, my county, it is 23 per cent; Migori, 23 per cent; in Kajiado, 22 per cent; Siaya, 21 per cent and Baringo, 25 per cent. The lowest is only in Nyeri and Nyandarua counties at 5 per cent. What does that percentage indicate to us? It only indicates that as a country, we must take issues of maternal health very seriously. Let me go ahead to give some background. On the 9th or 12th October, 2023, Dr. Anne Beatrice Kihara took over as the President of the Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). FIGO is The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1400532,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Ogola",
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"content": "the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. This was celebrated in Paris at the 24th FIGO World Congress held at the Paris Convention Centre in France. I bring this background because it is so crucial to us as a nation. Dr. Ann Beatrice Kihara is the first black president ever from Sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Ann Kihara is a Kenyan, a mother, a specialist gynecologist, a senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi (UoN) and a fierce advocate of women’s health. What I bring to this outstanding day is the declaration that Dr. Ann Beatrice Kihara made when she was crowned the President of FIGO, and I quote:- “Universally the measures of a country’s state of health is predicated by its maternal mortality ratio.” Madam Temporary Speaker, that just builds to the fact that as a country, we must step up services that we give to pregnant mothers, newborn babies and children that I shall be spelling out here to be specific, children up to the age of 12. As a background, I also bring commentary from another gynecologist doctor, Dr. Nelly Bosire. She has a very outstanding commentary that she made about maternal health. I quote. “We cannot quite celebrate our great technological advances in healthcare when at such a basic level, mothers continue to die while trying to secure the continuity of our future generations.’’ Madam Temporary Speaker, how else would we get future generations in this country and the universe, if it is not at childbirth? It is also worth noting something else that happens every other day in our counties. In Homa Bay County, at the beginning of this year, we lost Mrs. Opiyo Milton who died at Ungako Dispensary in Ndhiwa Constituency. This is a young woman who walked majestically and having attended her clinic sessions, expected to walk out of the hospital with a young baby; a bundle of joy. However, in 30 minutes or so, this young woman who walked to Ungako health centre had passed on. On the same note, this year, we lost two students, Ms. Caroline Orowe and another young student from a remote village in my constituency known as Ligotho. This happened in Ndhiwa Hospital. Madam Temporary Speaker, it is reflective of what Dr. Nelly Bosire had indicated. We cannot celebrate the technologies, while each minute we are losing young women at childbirth. That it is a story that all of us would tell. We can count the number of young women that we lose during childbirth. In her commentary, Dr. Nelly Bosire continued to state: “Worse is that we cannot assure that every baby born stands a fighting chance celebrating their first month of life.’ That is so outstanding to all of us, as Kenyans. From a professional standpoint, a gynecologist obstetrician, states that it is worse and not every baby born stands a fighting chance of living beyond one month. Madam Temporary Speaker, what else do we need to do other than to strengthen services for pregnant mothers, newborn babies and children because they are the continuity of our future generation? Dr. Nelly Bosire ended by saying that we must be intentional about reducing preventable maternal deaths. As we celebrate, increase antenatal visits. When we look at The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1400533,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1400533/?format=api",
"text_counter": 221,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Ogola",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "our records, we can pick from the health centres, dispensaries and referral hospitals figures that show an increase in antenatal visit attendance. Dr. Bosire says that as we celebrate the increased antenatal visit attendance and skilled birth attendance delivery indices, these exciting indices have not translated to reduced maternal deaths. As a country, even when we talk about records showing an increase in women visiting antenatal clinics; even when we have records that show that there are skilled birth attendants who are attending to our pregnant mothers, it is sad to notice that this increase in records has not translated to reduced maternal death. This Bill is specifically about strengthening the services that we give to these three components so that, at the end of it, as a country, we reduce maternal deaths and give services that are to the international standards. An economist asked that if we have invested as a country in bringing our mothers to hospitals and dispensaries, why are they still dying? If the hospitals are there and we have invested in bringing mothers to hospitals and dispensaries, why are they still dying? It is time to work on the quality of our service provision. There are critical questions we must ask ourselves. Is the service we are providing meeting the bare minimum quality standard? Are our facilities ready to ensure the highest attainable standards of care? There are concerns that our health system must address. One is the quality of service delivered to our mothers. Secondly, we must address the shortfalls in health system financing. Is the right model in place for delivering maternal care? Another concern we must address is the inadequate workforce available for patient care, both in numbers and scales. In my active maternal life, I was once admitted to the Homa Bay District Hospital Ward Two, if I remember precisely. I spent almost seven days in the ward. As I was there as a patient, I thanked God I had a very committed doctor - the district gynecologist at that time - the late Dr. Ojwang' Ayoma; May the lord rest his soul in peace. That was a man who had a passion for his work. As I was lying in the hospital bed, sometimes in the night, young women - this was a maternal ward - kept on coming there with different problems. There were cases of aborted pregnancies in the night to struggling mothers who had been brought from over 50 kilometres away and had been driven on rough roads. As soon as they came, they were either losing their babies or some losing their lives. While I was there, there were only a few nurses that would be available. Sometimes, there were only two nurses on a night shift serving over 50 mothers, who sometimes came at the same time. Some of the mothers would come crying. Some would lose their lives and their babies. That is why I am asking whether we have addressed the issue of inadequate workforce available for patient care. I am very specific both in numbers and skills. The reason I appreciate the Lord for Dr. Ayoma is because he came to the hospital for all the calls that came, to attend to women, whether he was on duty or The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1400534,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1400534/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Ogola",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "not. Additionally, I saw the few personnel struggle with the women. Therefore, the Maternal, New Born and Child Health Bill is here to address the issue of numbers and skills of medical workforce that we have in this country. Another concern that must be addressed is the inadequacies on medical products, vaccines and technologies that are required to save lives. We must also address the non- responsive health information systems. As I finish with giving my background, Dr. Bosire says that we cannot expect different results, yet we continue to do things in the same old manner. She concludes by saying that it is about unlearning what has not worked and relearning how to do things differently. This is the background upon which I present the Maternal, New Born and Child Health Bill, 2023. This is a Bill for an Act of Parliament to provide for a coordinated system for the provision of quality maternal, newborn, and child health services; to provide for response to maternal and child mobility and mortality in the country; to provide for a health care system that facilitates the attainment of health rights for mother, child, and for connected purposes. Madam Temporary Speaker, Clause (1) is basically the citing of the title that is the Maternal, New Born and Child Health Bill, 2023. Clause (2) is on interpretations of terms that are used and Clause (3), on the objects of this Bill. The objects of this Bill is to provide for a framework for the delivery of comprehensive quality health services that meets the needs of the mothers, the newborn and the children. When we talk about the mothers in the Bill, it is very specific that mothers are grouped into two. We have pregnant mothers. What are the services that these pregnant mothers are entitled to by the two levels of governments that we have in this country? Madam Temporay Speaker, before that, the Bill spells out the services that mothers are entitled to before they get pregnant. Next, it will spell out the services that the newborn babies are entitled to. When they are born, there are specific services that they are entitled to until they are 12 years. We must be intentional and do it by design. Even as children are born, there are specific services that they are given up to when they attain those years because we must care about their growth. Madam Temporary Speaker, the objects include establishing a coordinated and structured system for provision of quality maternal, newborn and child healthcare services. We are here talking about quality. Our mothers are not only entitled to services, but they must also be quality services. As I said, this is the only reason that gives us continuity of generations as a community. The objects seek to provide a framework that is responsive to causes of maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality. We are not only going to talk about services, but we must also be reflective on the causes of mortality and morbidity. This Bill takes care of that. It will ensure that maternal, newborn and child healthcare intervention services and supplies are available and accessible to the public. There is the issue of access that is spelled out. The objects also establish programmes to The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1400535,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1400535/?format=api",
"text_counter": 223,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Ogola",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "expand and improve availability and accessibility of maternal, newborn and child healthcare services. If you reflect on the background information, specifically on the percentages that I gave from the many counties, then it means that the percentage has reflected. For example, in Samburu County, 50 per cent of ages 17 to 19 being pregnant. It means that all these people must access certain services. These services must be deliberately made available and accessible to all women, wherever they are, and whatever time they need them every day. The objects will also promote linkages among existing programmes to expand and improve the availability and access to comprehensive community maternal, newborn and child healthcare services. It will promote the provision of proper care and assistance to mothers, newborn children and children with special needs. I will also talk about special needs. We have children with special needs. Which kind of services are they giving? Are we just giving obvious services that we give to all children? When we talk about pregnant women, there is a category of women with special needs. This includes women who have mental and psychological problems and women who are marginalised. Are they able to access maternal services from our health institutions and by our professional medics? The objects also seek to promote innovative, comprehensive and integrated approaches to the delivery of maternal, newborn and child healthcare services. The services that are captured in this Bill are not only limited to curative. We are also talking about promotive, curative and preventative. All that must be provided for in this Bill by health institutions and professionals. The Bill has principles for service delivery. What are the principles of delivering the services? One is universality of access and equity in delivery of healthcare services and the recognition that in offering these services, there are people with special needs. This Bill is going to spell out how that category is captured. On the principle for service delivery, this Bill talks about availability and access to services. It not only talks about access, but also timely and reliable information necessary to make an informed decision regarding one’s health and treatment."
},
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"id": 1400536,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Ogola",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "I will be demonstrating that there must be timeliness---"
},
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"id": 1400537,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1400537/?format=api",
"text_counter": 225,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Mumma",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Sen. Ogola, you have 35 minutes left. You will continue when the Bill appears next on the Order Paper."
},
{
"id": 1400538,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1400538/?format=api",
"text_counter": 226,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Mumma",
"speaker_title": "ADJOURNMENT The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Hon. Senators, it is now 6.30 p.m., time to adjourn the Senate. The Senate, therefore, stands adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, 17th April, 2024, at 9.30 a.m."
},
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"id": 1400539,
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"text_counter": 227,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Mumma",
"speaker_title": "ADJOURNMENT The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": "The Senate rose at 6.30 p.m. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
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"speaker": null,
"content": "REPUBLIC OF KENYA"
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