The Kenyan government has renewed its pledge to improve the quality of care for cancer patients, highlighting the need for patients to receive better care and a humane experience during their time at the hospital.
While speaking during the 2nd Artificial Intelligence in Health Workshop held at the Kenyatta National Hospital to commemorate World Cancer Day, the Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, called for a people-centered approach to the war on cancer. According to the PS, the fight against cancer cannot be achieved without the use of innovation, research, training, and improved facilities in the hospitals.
“Our mission is quite simple. Our mission is to improve the experience of the patients and improve the results of the treatment.”
According to the PS, World Cancer Day is both a commemoration of those we have lost to cancer and a renewed pledge to the prevention, early testing, and treatment of the condition.
Dr. Oluga also pointed out that cancer is a significant public health challenge not just in Kenya but around the world. With an increase in life expectancy, non-communicable diseases such as cancer are on the increase as a public health challenge.
Another area of concern is late diagnosis, with patients waiting as long as five months to be diagnosed. He explained that at such early stages, the symptoms are similar to common diseases, making it difficult to detect at the primary levels.
“At the dispensary level, every health worker must look beyond the obvious,” he urged.
Early diagnosis also depends on how health workers handle their patients with empathy. “You cannot suspect cancer at early stages if you do not listen to your patient with compassion,” he said.
Dr. Oluga also recognized some positive developments from the government’s initiative to provide health facilities with medical technology. He mentioned that currently, 84 public hospitals are already provided with mammography machines for breast cancer screening.
With regards to cervical cancer, Dr. Oluga mentioned that cervical cancer is still ranked as the second most common cancer among women in Kenya.
He called for stronger national efforts to improve cancer prevention, early detection and timely treatment, saying better services at all levels of the health system will help reduce the burden of cancer in Kenya.
