Sh6 billion set aside to build cancer centres in four regions

A total Sh6 billion has been allocated to build cancer centres in four regions in the country.

This was announced by acting Director of Medical Services Jackson Kioko on Thursday during World Cancer Day celebrations at Dedan Kimathi Kamukunji grounds in Nyeri County.

“We want cancer patients to be treated in the comfort of their own regions instead of travelling to far off places,” he said.

The director said the centres would be built in Mombasa to serve the coast region, Kisumu to cater for western Kenya, Nakuru to serve Central Rift and one in Nyeri.

Mr Kioko said each centre will require about Sh1.5 billion from the national government.

In Nyeri, the county referral hospital has been identified as the best in offering cancer services.

Nyeri Health Chief Officer Charles Githinji said the hospital was treating cancer patients from over 10 counties.

Meanwhile, a new study says an HIV related cancer is the leading killer in western Kenya followed by that of the throat.

Statistics from the Kisumu Hospice Centre indicate that the HIV cancer, also known as Kaposi’s Sarcoma, was prevalent in women between 40 and 49 compared to their male counterparts.

NEW SHIFT
Of the 2,000 patients diagnosed with cancer between 1998 and 2014, women were the majority with over 1,000 cases while 752 men were affected.

Oncologist Dr Julius Onyango, said throat cancers were also high in Kisumu. “We refer most of our patients to Tenwek Hospital for diagnosis but we treat,” he said.

Dr Onyango said in the past, oesophagus cancer attacked beer drinkers.

“That has changed and young people are getting it,” he said.

The oncologist said the cancer was caused by the type of food people eat.

“Most of the imports like fertilizers, maize and milk could be the main cause of oesophagus cancer that is spread all over the country with Kisumu leading,” he said.

According to the Health Ministry, cancer claims 76 lives in Kenya every day.

Additional reporting by Angela Oketch