The Minister for Medical Services, Hon. Prof. P.A. Nyong’o has assured Medical experts from MTRH that they will be incorporated in the various committees so that they can take up active roles in policy formulation in Cancer, Chronic and Non Communicable diseases. This, he said, will ensure equitable representation of Western Kenya.

The Minister was speaking during a three-day Multi-disciplinary Cancer Training that was sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the Academic Model Providing Access to Health Care (AMPATH) in Eldoret on February 15^th, 2012.

“This is a very noble event because cancer affects every one of us at some point in our lives, either directly as a patient, or indirectly through a relative, friend or workmate,” he said.

Statistics indicate that there were 12.7 million new cases of cancer worldwide in 2008 out of which 7.6 million died. The Minister lamented the impact of cancer on the economic and medical health of low income country such as Kenya is difficult to estimate, due to lack of country-specific data.

He added that HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria account for fewer deaths in the developing world than cancer. Saying that as many as 80% of those diagnosed with cancer in low- and middle-income countries will die of their cancer, compared to 30% in High Income Countries.

He said that health systems in the country have traditionally concentrated on the prevention and control of communicable diseases at the expense of a rising burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer.

Hon. Nyong’o said that this has resulted in major weaknesses in cancer prevention and control initiatives in Kenya.

According to the Regional Cancer Registries at KEMRI and in Eldoret, about 80% of reported cases of cancer in Kenya are diagnosed at advanced stages, when very little can be achieved in terms of curative treatment.

The Minister blamed this on low awareness of cancer signs and symptoms, inadequate screening services, inadequate diagnostic facilities and poorly structured referral facilities.

He noted that the country has few cancer specialists who are concentrated in a few health facilities in Nairobi and Eldoret. This, he said, makes it difficult for a great majority of the population to access cancer treatment services resulting in long waiting times.