Aga Khan Hospital to provide free cancer treatment sessions

The Aga Khan University Hospital has offered to provide 400 free radiotherapy sessions to cancer patients.

The offer is expected to temporarily ease the burden on Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) following the breakdown of radiotherapy machines there.

The director of Medical Services, Mr Nicholas Muraguri, pointed out that the sessions would be for patients whose treatment was interrupted by the breakdown of equipment at KNH.

“Following the breakdown of the radiotherapy machines at the Kenyatta National Hospital last week, the Ministry of Health begun negotiations with private hospitals to provide radiotherapy treatment to cancer patients whose treatment was interrupted by the breakdown,” he stated.

GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS

Aga Khan Hospital’s chief executive officer, Mr Shawn Bolouki, said the offer for free radiotherapy treatment was made possible through generous contributions from the Ismaili Community and funds from the hospital’s patient welfare programme.

He thanked the Ismaili community and the partners who contribute towards the hospital’s patient welfare programme fund who include corporate organisations and well-wishers.

Mr Bolouki said the hospital is committed to provide access to high quality healthcare services to the community.

Last year, the hospital held 183 free medical camps that benefited over 60,000 people, 50 of these camps were dedicated to cancer only.

The Heart and Cancer Centre at the hospital in Nairobi was inaugurated in July 2011 and has provided the East African community with access to the high quality cardiology and oncology services.

The services offered include early detection and screening programmes, specialised diagnostics, chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments, as well as palliative and rehabilitation programmes.