Sh78m set aside for ‘mandazi’ can help fight cancer

A cancer patient in Nyeri County can only access the services of an oncologist once a month because the county spends millions on tea and mandazi.

Despite the soaring number of cancer patients in the region, the county intends to spend Sh77.8 million on hospitality in the current financial year.

This allocation is enough to hire 10 specialist doctors at a cost of Sh18 million every year.

It would translate to at least two radiologists, cardiologists, nephrologists, oncologists and physicians.

The entry salary of such specialists ranges between Sh150,000 and Sh200,000.

Another Sh20 million of the money to be spent on tea and biscuits can be spent on hiring at least 20 medical workers.

At least 1,750 cancer patients can benefit from a Sh20,000 subsidy on cancer treatment with the remaining Sh35 million.

A doctor at Nyeri County Referral Hospital revealed that the MRI Centre is operational but patients have to source for radiologist to interpret the results.

“Since we lack a radiologist to handle the machine, patients have to meet the cost of seeing a private radiologist,” said the doctor.

The hospital also offers chemotherapy to cancer patients who have to purchase their medication.

Since the hospital does not have an oncologist, general practitioners help in mixing the ingredients and providing chemotherapy services.

The cost of cancer prescription varies from Sh10,000 to Sh100,000 depending on the cycle.

Patients who have to undergo operations grapple with a long queue and tight schedule due to lack of theatres.

Recently the county conducted a hernia camp to treat 78 patients afflicted with the condition but who had been forced to live with the pain.

The camp was the effort of surgeons from different hospitals and was meant to assist patients who have waited for long to get treatment.

According to the medics, Nyeri County Referral Hospital needs 18 doctors on average but currently has about 10 doctors who are overwhelmed by the workload.

Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union Central branch secretary-general Goody Gor termed it a crippling shortage that was compromising provision of health care.

Nominated MCA Leah Wachira accused the county of handling health issues casually and failing to stock hospitals with enough drugs.

“Sometimes it pains my heart to see patients suffer yet we have an able county government,” she said.