This archive report was first published on 2 August 2019.
On August 2, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta made a significant announcement regarding the government's commitment to cancer management in Kenya. Speaking during a requiem mass for Dr. Joyce Laboso in Bomet, who succumbed to cancer earlier that week, the President revealed plans to increase funding towards cancer management to tackle the scourge.
As part of these efforts, a chemotherapy center at Longisa Hospital in Bomet is set to be opened by September to cater to cancer patients. Additionally, the President pledged to establish additional radiology centers at the facility and across the country, with three more centers to be set up in Garissa, Mombasa, and Nakuru.
The Head of State also committed to adding 10 more chemotherapy centers in various locations, including Mombasa, Kisumu, Kakamega, Garissa, Nyeri, Nakuru, and Machakos. Furthermore, he announced plans to upgrade Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret to a center of excellence for cancer treatment and train oncologists.
President Kenyatta also highlighted the importance of changing lifestyles to prevent and manage cancer cases. He announced the opening of Kenyatta University Hospital next month, which will feature facilities for cancer treatment, as well as the establishment of two centers of excellence in Kisii and Nyeri by next year.
