Rt. Hon.(Eng) Raila Amolo Odinga

All parliamentary appearances

Entries 281 to 290 of 1732.

• 18 Apr 2012 in National Assembly: Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, setting up a national hospital in such a wide area is also a challenge because people would still have to travel long distances to that particular centre. What we require are functioning health facilities near where the people live. This is something that the Government is considering; setting up of, at least, two well equipped centres in North Horr. I am sure that this is going to be factored in the coming financial year so that two proper functioning health facilities are available, at least, in the constituency. view
• 18 Apr 2012 in National Assembly: Hon. Dr. Monda talked about inadequacies in terms of numbers of health workers in our facilities. I agree, yes, if we are looking at it in terms of the number of doctors or nurses per 1,000 patients, for example, and compare it with other countries, I would say that we are still far from reaching what you can call adequate healthcare. But I would like the hon. Member to appreciate the limited resources that the Government has at the moment. We have also other competing interests. That is because I am sure that the hon. Member would be speaking with ... view
• 18 Apr 2012 in National Assembly: Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want the hon. Member to appreciate that nowhere in the world has it been possible to provide all those services through the public sector. We must accept that there is need for a partnership between the private sector and the public sector in the provision of healthcare. The only reason why we have not seen more investment in this sector is lack of adequate funding available, particularly to the patients. So, the patients cannot afford. The facilities are few and, therefore, the laws of supply and demand take effect. You will find that the ... view
• 18 Apr 2012 in National Assembly: Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, as the Government continues to put more investment in this sector, we are creating conditions that will encourage the private sector to invest in healthcare. That is by creating a viable national social health insurance scheme, which will make healthcare accessible and affordable to poor people. At the moment the poor cannot afford it. There were a number of projects and clinics in the rural areas that had to close down. So, I would like the hon. Members to appreciate this fact and to help the efforts of the Government to set up a National ... view
• 18 Apr 2012 in National Assembly: Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, again the hon. Member was already adequately answered with regard to the scheme that the Government introduced. It is not that the public servants have been transferred to the private sector; no. The officers have got an option to either go to the private sector or to the public sector. view
• 18 Apr 2012 in National Assembly: Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the hon. Member for Lari was concerned about the dispensaries which have been constructed using Economic Stimulus Programme funds, which have no staff and medicine. The answer to that is that attention is going to be given to those facilities to ensure that they are adequately staffed in order to be able to function effectively. view
• 18 Apr 2012 in National Assembly: Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, hon. Karua asked about maternal mortality rate. I did give a figure in my statement; I talked of a figure of 7,700 deaths per year; I said that it translates to almost one death per hour in our country today, which is unacceptable. Yes, she did say, and I actually did say it, that the cost of medicare is too high. That is the essence of the statement I am making today. How do we make it affordable and accessible? I quoted Section 43 of the Constitution, which makes access to medicare a constitutional right ... view
• 18 Apr 2012 in National Assembly: Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, without going to the details, which are the responsibilities of the Ministers for health, I am confining myself to accessibility and affordability of medicare by the majority of our people. So, I am not able to give, for example, specific data with regard to Turkana District. Those are details which the Minister for Medical Services is in a better position to provide. view
• 18 Apr 2012 in National Assembly: Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, hon. Shebesh raised an issue with regard to the Reproductive Health Services Bill. Yes, this Bill had some challenges in the past and I do agree that with the new Constitution, where we have now addressed the issue of abortion effectively, this Bill should come to the House. This Bill does not necessarily legalize abortion, because abortion is actually illegal under the new Constitution. But what was provided for in the new Constitution is actions to save life, which we all agreed was necessary. view
• 18 Apr 2012 in National Assembly: Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I actually said the opposite. I said that contrary to what was being said by those detractors during the campaign, that the Constitution allowed abortion, the Constitution has actually illegalized abortion; it states clearly in clear English that abortion is not permitted under the new Constitution. view