Cancer should be high on the agenda of any credible candidate

Several months ago, a patient with fairly advanced pancreatic cancer shared his fears with me. Apart from those regarding his family, finances, and his impending mortality, he was afraid that he might not make it to 2017 “to vote out politicians who have neglected cancer”.

Most pancreatic cancers are diagnosed at an advanced stage and tend to have poor outcomes. Politics matters to all of us, including those suffering from cancer. Patients, cancer advocates, and health care professionals know too well that allocation of national and county resources follows a political process.

That we are already in election mode is not in doubt. What we have not seen are substantive issues on the agenda of those seeking elective positions at all levels. Putting cancer at the centre of the national political discourse would, therefore, be a good start. This is not just because of the enormous financial burden associated with cancer; it is also about the number of deaths, now approaching 100 a day.

Kenyans, regardless of party affiliation, would want to see cancer included in the manifestoes of all political parties, with detailed plans of how each party intends to tackle the problem once in power.

One of the mistakes we have made as a country in our cancer control efforts is to approach the disease as a purely medical problem or an equation for science to solve while ignoring the role of social-economic and political dynamics in determining who will live or who will die from cancer. All aspects of cancer control, from tobacco legislation to advertisement of junk food, are affected by public policy and legislation.

Politicians and government technocrats play a significant role in setting the legislative and policy agenda as well as influencing government spending priorities. Contrary to popular opinion, priorities in cancer are not limited to treatment alone. A significant investment should also be made in cancer research.

INFECTIOUS AGENTS

Nearly one in every four cancers in Kenya, and in most of sub-Saharan Africa, are caused by infectious agents such as viruses and bacteria, yet there is very little research happening in this area and no designated State funding specifically for cancer research. This is despite the fact that research has the potential to turn the tide against some of the cancers that are associated with infections, for example cervical, liver, and some stomach cancers. Politicians should appreciate that adequate funding of a comprehensive national cancer control programme, free from the politics of devolution, would not only save lives but also money. It would enable more Kenyans to remain healthy and be able to contribute to building the economy and participate in the political process that my pancreatic cancer patient so yearned for.

Cancer civil society groups have done a good job, creating cancer awareness with limited resources. But they too must guard against petty politics between and within their organisations and demonstrate transparency so as to maintain the strong bonds they have cultivated with cancer patients over the years.

As a country, we share the collective guilt of abandoning cancer patients to herbalists, medical tourism agencies, multi-level marketers of nutrition supplements, and televangelists. Our lawmakers should move with speed and diligence to pass strict legislation to regulate all entities that only seek profit from this terrible disease.

Cancer should be high up on the political agenda of any credible candidate. If we are to save lives and alleviate suffering, then we all have a grave moral responsibility to demand concrete cancer plans from those who ask for our votes.

David Makumi is chairman, Kenya Network of Cancer Organisations and manager, cancer programme, Aga Khan University Hospital.

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