{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=150388","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=150386","results":[{"id":1522062,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522062/?format=json","text_counter":68,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Abass","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13587,"legal_name":"Abass Sheikh Mohamed","slug":"abass-sheikh"},"content":"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I want to contribute on the Statement by Sen. Chute, my neighbour, on the Kala-azar disease. Kala-azar is a disease whose other name is black fever. It has very high fevers like malaria and is one of the deadliest diseases found. Kala-azar occurred in Kenya not more than 15 years ago and has not been controlled up to now. It is caused by biting flies, especially during dry times. When the areas are dry and there is a lot of deforestation, the flies breed very fast. It mostly affects the young children and is a very stubborn disease. The malnourished children and people affected by HIV/AIDS cannot tolerate it. The problem is that the controlling system in Kenya is very poor, but we need to control it. It is a recent development. It came all the way from our border areas like Somalia and Ethiopia. It has not been there for a long time in Kenya. The best thing is to control this disease so that it does not spread to the other parts of the country. It is now in the northern part and there is a need to control it. Let us use all measures to have this disease controlled. Otherwise, it is very dangerous like malaria and worse than malaria at times. I also want to contribute to Sen. Olekina's Statement. KEMSA is doing a very wonderful job. It is able to supply this country with medicine in far-fetched areas. It delivers up to the last mile. However, it lacks a proper tracking system. Drugs are being loaded from Nairobi all the way to the dispensaries and health centres in far-fetched areas, but are not inspected. Counties give orders, but do not have control over it. Since they deliver to the last mile areas, sometimes they deliver the wrong drugs to those places. Therefore, it is high time that KEMSA is oversighted in order to get the rightful drugs. Counties should also take responsibility for these drugs. Most of the times, the drugs are not branded and sometimes end up in the private hospitals and pharmacies. Therefore, the counties are losing a lot of drugs as a result of theft. We need to follow up on these issues as Senators and ensure that these drugs are delivered appropriately. KEMSA should engage some drug inspectors so that they know how much of the drug reaches the people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."},{"id":1522063,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522063/?format=json","text_counter":69,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Kingi","speaker_title":"The Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Sen. Ogola, proceed."},{"id":1522064,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522064/?format=json","text_counter":70,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Ogola","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise to support two Statements; the one by Sen. Chute and the one by the Minority Whip, Sen. Olekina. If there is an outbreak, as Sen. Chute indicates, it should be addressed as quickly as possible. In the past, we have seen how such diseases ravage our populations. According to Sen. Chute's description, it is a disease that causes extensive damage to internal organs. I support the urgent action needed to address that, not only in Marsabit but also in the public health directorate, which must safeguard other counties surrounding Marsabit. 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":1522065,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522065/?format=json","text_counter":71,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Ogola","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"I support Sen. Olekina's Statement. Health is crucial to our population. According to the Sustainable Development Goals, every person in the world, if not in this country, is entitled to good health and well-being. Any actions or activities by KEMSA as a distributor of drugs to our health facilities must be something that we, as a House and everybody else, must pay attention to. All we are asking for is that KEMSA needs to increase its efficiencies so that our people get drugs in time and on need. I am more concerned about this because health and women are related; issues to do with health touch on children and women more because of the kind of attention that women give to their children and the general households. It is a common occurrence that there is a shortage of drugs in our health centres. As a House, we are concerned that our people go to hospitals, and because of inefficiencies or a lack of clear administration of drug distribution, they run to chemists or commercial outfits to buy drugs. I support the need for KEMSA and the county governments to work efficiently and effectively to ensure the availability of drugs in our hospitals."},{"id":1522066,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522066/?format=json","text_counter":72,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Kingi","speaker_title":"The Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, proceed."},{"id":1522067,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522067/?format=json","text_counter":73,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":170,"legal_name":"Bonny Khalwale","slug":"bonny-khalwale"},"content":"Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I want to laud Sen. Chute. This is a sad occurrence. As a medical expert, I can confirm to the nation that the breakout of Kala-azar is a symptom of a failed state. Kala-azar, otherwise known as Black Fever or Leishmaniasis, is a tropical illness that occurs when the health system has collapsed. In Africa, you find it in South Sudan and Sudan. How did Kenya find itself where it is now being compared to South Sudan? This disease is so lethal that out of 20 people infected, if not rapidly attacked, 19 of them die. That is what we are leaving the people of Marsabit to undergo. I, therefore, want to inform the Ministry that we know these things. In fact, in 2020, a vaccine against Kala-azar was developed and approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO). However, the licencing of this vaccine has not taken place in Kenya because of busybodies who want to be bribed before they can licence it, or what have you. Let this vaccine be licenced and applied in this country. The Kenya Kwanza Government has also been successful in addressing primary health care through the stipend paid to Community Health Promoters (CHPs). That level of intervention can actually clear this disease. What do I mean? All that the CHPs are supposed to tell the patients is to cover themselves with a piece of cloth, including a long one because the vectors that transmit these parasites are sandflies. The CHPs, with the support of the ministry - and this is why I am talking about a failed state - just spray. You spray the sand flies, and they go away. You can use minimal cost to ensure that people sleep in protected bedrooms and where you do not have high-tech bedrooms like nets---"},{"id":1522068,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522068/?format=json","text_counter":74,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"The Speaker","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Hon. Kingi) What is your point of order, Sen. Mandago?"},{"id":1522069,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522069/?format=json","text_counter":75,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Mandago","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13577,"legal_name":"Kiplagat Jackson Mandago","slug":"kiplagat-jackson-mandago"},"content":"Mr. Speaker, Sir, I did not wish to disrupt Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale, who is a medical expert. However, under Standing Order No.105 on Responsibility for a Statement of Fact, is the spread of Kala-azar in Marsabit a symbol of a failed state or a 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":1522070,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522070/?format=json","text_counter":76,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Mandago","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":13577,"legal_name":"Kiplagat Jackson Mandago","slug":"kiplagat-jackson-mandago"},"content":"failed county? Considering that the function of health is largely devolved. Maybe some clarification. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir."},{"id":1522071,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522071/?format=json","text_counter":77,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale","speaker_title":"","speaker":{"id":170,"legal_name":"Bonny Khalwale","slug":"bonny-khalwale"},"content":"Mr. Speaker, Sir, indeed, the Chairperson of the Committee on Health is right. I should swallow my words on failed states and say a failed county compared to failed states like South Sudan and Sudan. I am professional on this matter and authoritative because these sand flies bite the patient, and the black fever parasites then target the spleen and the liver. You cannot find spleen or liver transplants anywhere in this country. It, therefore, means once your liver is gone, your spleen is gone, you are a dead man. I am, therefore, not surprised that sometimes we get a lot of anger from the people who come from the so-called former Northern Frontier districts. It is because of this treatment. Sen. Mandago, you should summon the Governor of Marsabit. They should tell us where they take the money that is budgeted for health. In fact, I do not know whether it is true. I do not want to be challenged, but on the grapevine here in the streets, we are being told that some of these high-rise flats that are coming up are properties of governors. Is this the case? That is what I am hearing. So, they are taking money and investing in Eastleigh and South C. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we refuse. Our people deserve this treatment. The people in charge at KEMSA are not competent. The policy for stocking at KEMSA deliberately ensures that drugs against tropical illnesses like Malaria, Kala-azar, and Tuberculosis (TB) are readily available. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I know for a fact that when I was practicing medicine actively, you could go to KEMSA and the primary drug called Amphotericin, which is very cheap, would be there. If they are not stocking it, it means the blokes who have been given that job are not competent. We should stop the culture of putting people who have lost elections in charge of critical institutions like KEMSA and allow doctors and nurses to be in charge. I thank you."}]}