This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
On July 30, 2019, Laikipia Woman Representative Catherine Waruguru called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to declare cancer a national disaster and establish a fund to fight the disease in Kenya.
Speaking at her Nanyuki office, Waruguru expressed her condolences on the passing of Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso and emphasized the need for swift endorsement of the Waruguru Cancer Fund Bill 2019.
Waruguru urged the National Assembly Committee on Health, chaired by Murang'a Woman Representative Sabina Chege, to expedite the Bill and ensure its passage through the House.
She emphasized that declaring cancer a national disaster requires commitment from the government through funding and programs that address early screening, detection, and prevention, as well as support for cancer caregivers.
Waruguru also called for zero taxes on cancer drugs and the sale of generic drugs in Kenyan health facilities.
In the Bill, Waruguru has proposed setting aside 14 billion shillings in the 2020/2021 budget to support cancer patients through a Cancer Board.
