Kenya joined other nations to celebrate World Cancer Day however, it was in the midst of a wave of complaints about the lack of services and delays in treatment at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), the country’s main referral hospital.
Cancer patients and their families came out to express their discontent with devilishly difficult procedures which in their words, have constantly delayed their access to cancer drugs. One of the patient representatives, Betty Odero, said she has been fervently pleading with the hospital administration for payment approvals that can allow her mother to undergo cancer treatment and yet she has not been successful.
“Its like a round trip for me when I am trying to get those approvals, but I just get to the door with no one coming to open it as my mothers condition deteriorates the more”, she lamented.
Speaking after visiting the cancer centre, the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, acknowledged the patients concerns but he described the delays in treatment and laboratory service approval as issues of administration and legality that should in no way hinder patient care.
He further noted that various interventions that are being undertaken to resolve these challenges will bright the day to allow cancer patients be served without delay.
The PS at the same time revealed that the annual cancer cases estimation in Kenya has gone up from 44, 000 to 48, 000 as a result of better
He noted that deaths from cancer, related causes have slightly dropped from 29, 000 to 28, 000 per annum, thus showing a steady improvement in cancer care.
On the World Cancer Day celebrations, Kitui County offered free cancer screening services at Mwingi Level 4 Hospital and arranged for cancer awareness walks in Mwingi town. Currently, there are about 300 cancer patients who receive their treatment at the Kitui County Specialized Cancer Treatment Centre.
Frederick Kutaka, a prostate cancer patient who is undergoing treatment, called on the members of the public to start going for cancer screening regularly. He reasoned that early detection of the disease is a life, saving measure.
Similarly, efforts to control cancer in the country have been anticipated for better, following an increase in the funds earmarked for treatment under the Community Health Council whose allocations per patient have been raised from Sh550 to Sh800.
Every year World Cancer Day is celebrated to create awareness of cancer among people and also to encourage prevention, early diagnosis and better access to cancer care.
