Governor Mwangi wa Iria has launched the construction of a multi-billion cancer centre at thew Murang’a Level V Hospital.
The seven-storey building will have a 300-bed capacity and will be completed in 180 days.
Wa Iria said the centre will be constructed by about 200 youths who will work in shifts day and night to ensure its completion deadline is met. It is expected to be operational by January next year.
He said using county engineers will cut the cost of constructing the building from about Sh500 million to about Sh200 million.
The county government will advertise for doctors who will work in the facility next week to provide sufficient time for them to undergo training.
The doctors will then be sent to Spain to train on oncology as the cancer centre is constructed.
Wa Iria said the county government will take advantage of an existing partnership with Spanish doctors who conduct free camps in the county twice an year.
Doctors from University of Murcia have been camping at the Maragua subdistrict hospital where they conduct free surgeries on tumors and cancers.
Speaking while launching the project on Thursday, the governor said the county will partner with the Spanish doctors to have some medics attached to the facility so they can train local doctors.
Wa Iria said the main challenge facing the centre was the procurement of cancer treatment machines which he said are very expensive.
He cited a cancer diagnostic machine that helps to detect the disease in its early stages and which costs Sh800 million. The machine is produced by only three companies world-wide.
Wa Iria said a fully-equipped cancer centres costs about Sh2 billion which makes it difficult for many hospitals to have one.
“This hospital will be the only one in East and Central Africa. The only other centres we have in the continent are in South and West Africa,” he said.
The governor said it is unfortunate that despite cancer killing numerous people, it is only discussed when it affects public figures and then forgotten soon after.
He asked for Kenyans of goodwill to come out and support the cancer centre to ensure it gets to the standards of similar hospitals in India.
Donors, he said, can contribute in kind or directly procure the needed machines.
“Kenyans spend billions every year for cancer treatment in India because the services are unavailable locally. We grieve and hurt when we lose someone to cancer and here is a chance to do something about it,” he said.
Wa Iria said the challenge posed by many cancer cases is the late diagnosis which makes them impossible to treat. Services such as a pet scan cost as much as Sh400,000 in private hospitals.
He said the hospital will save the lives of many people who cannot afford treatment in private facilities.
The governor said the project is in line with the government’s Big Four agenda.
“I will also try to reach the President and I know he will support this project that will lessen the suffering of many Kenyans,” Wa Iria said.