Cancer patients in the Coast region are expected to get faster and better treatment following the opening of a new radiotherapy centre at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital in Mombasa.
The facility was officially commissioned on Monday by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi.
The new centre has been fitted with a modern Linear Accelerator (LINAC), a machine used in cancer treatment, with support from the IAEA.
According to the Ministry of Health, the facility is expected to double the hospital’s radiotherapy capacity from 70 to 140 patients a day, a move expected to improve access to cancer care in the region.
It is believed that the construction of the cancer hospital in Kilifi will reduce the congestion at national referral hospitals and also shorten waiting time for specialized cancer treatment.
While launching the new project, Duale indicated that this will be one of the government’s strategies in providing better services in specialized healthcare beyond Nairobi as part of its UHC program.
According to Duale, the government is determined to provide cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment facilities all over the country.
The event was used to show how the nation’s relationship with IAEA is being strengthened as Kenya invests in medical technology and the training of health professionals with an aim of setting up regional treatment centers.
The ceremony was organized by Abdulswamad Sharif Nassir in his capacity as Chairperson of the Council of Governors Health Committee.
Others who graced the function included Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga, Principal Secretary Shaukat Abdulrazak, and other officials from Kenya National Cancer Institute.
Health officials say the new facility is a major step in bringing cancer treatment services closer to patients and improving healthcare access in different parts of the country.