Boost for cervical cancer fight

First Lady Margaret Kenyatta at a past event. Mrs Kenyatta Thursday attended a meeting hosted by Norvatis AG, a pharmaceutical firm planning to introduce affordable cancer drugs in Kenya, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL |

What you need to know:

  • Nearly 100 hospitals will be equipped with cervical cancer screening and treatment equipment.

Nearly 100 hospitals will be equipped with cervical cancer screening and treatment equipment through a partnership between the Ministry of Health and the Beyond Zero campaign.

Director of Medical Services Nicholas Muraguri told Sunday Nation that Level 4 and 5 hospitals in all counties will have the cervical cancer equipment through funding from the government and private sponsors.

He said the partnership with First Lady Margaret Kenyatta through the Beyond Zero campaign will not only address maternal and children deaths but also cervical cancer.

Cancer deaths in the country are third after infectious diseases and cardiovascular ailments. Globally, it kills more than HIV, TB and malaria combined – about eight million deaths yearly. Nearly eight in 10 cancer cases in the country are diagnosed late and thus delays treatment.

Dr Muraguri told Sunday Nation: “There are more than 5,000 cervical cancer cases reported annually and almost half of these women die every year. This partnership will step in to facilitate early detection of cancers and begin appropriate and timely treatment.”

He further said 47 breast cancer diagnosis equipment, mammography machines, will also be purchased for each of the counties as part of the Ministry of Health’s Sh38 billion medical equipment project targeting 94 health facilities in the country.

He added: “We have also trained 200 health workers on breast and cervical cancers as the new equipment require skilled workers. They will graduate tomorrow (Sunday).”

The graduation will take place on Sunday during the 9th Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer in Africa Conference (SCCA) at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre. The conference ends on Tuesday.