Kakamega to establish cancer centre to serve lake region

 

Kakamega county is set to establish a comprehensive cancer care centre to ease access to treatment for the disease.

Once established and operational, the centre will serve patients from Western and Nyanza regions, as well as those from neighbouring parts of Uganda.

Currently, patients seeking cancer treatment from the region have to travel to Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, where they have to wait for weeks or even months because of the high traffic.

On Friday, Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said the national government had set aside Sh500 million this financial year for the establishment of the centre at the Kakamega County Referral Hospital.

"President Uhuru Kenyatta promised us that his government will construct a cancer centre in this region to serve patients from this part of the country. I am happy money has been allocated for the project. Construction will begin soon," he said.

Dr Hilda Mubisi, the oncologist in charge of the cancer centre at the county general hospital, said the funds will be used for construction and equipping of the new centre.

"Once completed, it will offer comprehensive cancer services, including radiotherapy, which we have not been offering at our facility," she said.

Mubisi said more than 10 types of cancer are being managed at the centre.

She said the region has a high prevalence of oesophagus cancer due to heavy consumption of chang'aa.

"Most patients with oesophagus cancer have a history of taking local liquor. A few people store their maize poorly, which causes aflatoxin. This contributes to cancer," she said.

Mubisi said cases of oesophagus cancer at the facility are higher than those of breast and prostate cancer.

"It is difficult to cure oesophagus cancer because it affects areas that are complicated to treat. Most people discover they have it when it is at stage three," the medic said.

Mubisi, however, dismissed as unfounded, claims that consuming hot tea contributes to cancer.    BY THE STAR