Kenya is moving to deepen its fight against cancer through strengthened collaboration between the government and global health partners, following high-level discussions on the extension of a key health cooperation agreement.
Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, through Dr. Nancy Njeru, Director of Health Financing, Policy and Research, met with the City Cancer Challenge Foundation (CCan) team, headed by the Chief Executive Officer Isabel Mestres.
The discussions took place around the proposed extension of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Health, the National Cancer Control Programme, and CCan until 2030.
The meeting brought to light the mutual endeavor to enhance the availability of quality cancer care services, especially in Nairobi, as a component of the wider health sector reforms currently being implemented under the Social Health Authority framework.
Ahead of the discussions, priority issues were spreading of the cancer care gains and the possibility of expanding them.
Working on these, the Ministry will summerise the overall cancer deliveries improvement that the partners have made in training oncologists, the stabolism of service enterprises, the provision of cancer commodities, and the use of digital health solutions. Also they will conduct counseling services that include both patient and family support people with cancer.
The partnership is set to be a major actor in the fight against deficiencies in the cancer care continuum, such as detection at an early stage, treatment accessibility, and continuation of care.
