Enough cancer facilities would ease treatment

Cancer is a leading cause of death in Kenya. The disease presents unique challenges to Kenya’s health system. A review of the country’s cancer policies need to be done to improve the treatment of cancer patients.

Most cancer patients prefer travelling abroad to receive treatment, something that costs huge amounts of money, which could have otherwise been avoided if Kenya had the required facilities. The growth of cancer cases over the past decades has resulted in an increase in death toll.

Kenya does not have adequate cancer facilities. Therefore, part of the National Cancer Control Strategy 2017-2022 was to set up four regional cancer treatment centres — in Kisii, Nyeri, Nakuru and Mombasa. But despite the strategy, which was launched back in 2017, there is still a gap in dealing with cancer treatment in the country. 

Treatment of cancer

The main objective of the strategy was to reduce cancer cases and improve care for the affected people. The government should, therefore, intervene by setting up more cancer facilities to save the lives of Kenyans who may not have the required financial capability to seek medication abroad.

Cancer treatment should be given the priority it deserves. The current situation in regard to the treatment of cancer is that people have to travel for long distances, make huge financial sacrifices and wait for lengthy durations before they can get treatment. Cancer patients in the country mostly find themselves in a wait list for up to a year before getting access to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

To sustain cancer patients, adequate capital allocations should be made to treatment. Enough machines should be acquired and more facilities built to accommodate the large number of people in need of treatment. It is the responsibility of the government to do the needful as regards cancer treatment in the country.

Mr Cerullo is a resident if Kisumu County. [email protected]