This archive report was first published on 1 September 2019.
On Thursday, Machakos County Governor Alfred Mutua launched the Machakos Cancer Care and Research Centre, a first-of-its-kind facility in the county.
The centre, located at the Machakos Level Five Referral Hospital, was set up at a cost of Sh40 million and will provide patients with surgical oncology, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, cryotherapy, nutritional support, and transfusion medicine.
Speaking during the launch, Governor Mutua announced that residents of Machakos who are registered in the Universal Health Care Programme will receive free treatment at the centre.
"Others from the South Eastern Kenya Economic Bloc region will receive special rates, and all citizens from the entire country will pay a subsidised price - the cheapest in Kenya," Governor Mutua said.
The centre will also offer high-quality diagnosis and provide chemotherapy treatment and advanced surgery. In the next year, the facility will undergo a facelift, including the purchase of a Sh300 million radiotherapy machine.
According to Governor Mutua, the county plans to partner with hospitals and institutions of higher learning and research so that experts from all over the world can work at the Machakos cancer centre.
"We will also utilise telemedicine for consultations between our doctors and experts in the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe, and our African continent," Governor Mutua said.
