Govt scales up war on cancer as CS Kagwe officiates treaty signing in Kisumu

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has said the government has instituted a host of reforms and established modern infrastructure to scale up the war on cancer disease in the country.

CS Kagwe was speaking when he presided over the signing of a tripartite participation agreement between the National Ministry of Health, Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), and the County Government of Kisumu on the establishment of a Comprehensive Cancer and Blood Disorder Centre at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH).

The pact signing was witnessed by the stakeholders at the newly upgraded Level 4 Lumumba Sub County Hospital in Kisumu on Wednesday.

Kagwe noted that Kisumu is among the counties with a high cancer disease burden hence targeted interventions like the establishment of a cancer centre are a great milestone in managing the scourge.

“Since Jan 2022, we have treated over 200 people who would otherwise have gone to India were it not for the fact that we have the integrated molecular centre at KUTRRH. This is the first time that we have replaced the issue of going to India with people being treated here,” Kagwe said.

According to Kagwe, cancer is a major menace in the country with 42,900 patients diagnosed with cancer and 27,000 deaths reported every year.

However, he lauded various stakeholders for the strides made in the health sector that is aimed at revolutionizing the sector to reduce cancer deaths to the minimum.

“The survival rate for cancer patients in the United States and other developed countries is 80 per cent compared to just less than 30 per cent in Kenya,” He said.

During the event, CS Kagwe who was accompanied by Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o and National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) CEO Dr Peter Kamunyo also unveiled a plaque of the proposed radiotherapy centre at JOOTRH.

The Kisumu Comprehensive Cancer and Haematology Centre upon completion would offer radiotherapy, chemotherapy and a centre for treating blood disorders like sickle cell anaemia.

Prof. Nyong’o said that the realization of cancer and blood disorders centre in Kisumu would be a major step towards the realization of Universal Health Care.

“Kisumu County has set its eyes on revolutionizing cancer and blood disorders care for the lake region and Kenya as a whole – to offer quality and affordable essential cancer care,” Nyong’o assured.

At the same time, CS Kagwe unveiled a drive to upscale Universal Health Coverage using Health Insurance in Kisumu County.

The lakeside county in partnership with PharmAccess Foundation introduced the Kisumu Solidarity Health Insurance Scheme dubbed ‘Marwa’ through NHIF in 2018. The program so far has sponsored 42,564 indigent households.

“Through the upscale we are launching today, an additional 18,609 indigents who will be covered by NHIF courtesy of the national government. This will bring the total number of sponsored indigents to 61,173,” Nyong’o said.

NHIF CEO Dr. Peter.Kamunyo hailed the ‘Marwa’ project saying it came at an opportune time and has helped increase the number of people covered by health insurance in the lakeside county.

“In the previous Financial Year, NHIF paid the highest amount of Sh.25 million as capitation fees to hospitals in Kisumu County surpassing all other counties. This was an increase from Sh. 1.7 million disbursed in the past 6 years,” Dr Kamunyo revealed.

“My next move would be to see how I can partner with the ministry of Gender, Senior Citizens Affairs and Special Programmes on how we can get the young people trained, especially those from the informal settlements,” said Were.

She urged the government to pay the Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) saying that without them there shall be congestion of patients in the hospitals following illnesses that could be treated from the villages.