This archive report was first published on 13 October 2019.
On October 13, 2019, the Ministry of Health revealed a concerning lack of data on Kenyans seeking cancer treatment abroad over the past five years.
According to the ministry, only 597 patients who registered officially before seeking treatment out of the country have their details on record.
Between 2015 and 2019, 223 people had sought government permission to be treated abroad, and in 2019, 113 Kenyans sought approval for cancer treatment abroad.
The government's inability to track the number of citizens receiving cancer treatment abroad hinders its ability to understand the disease's impact on the population.
Given the devastating effects of cancer on many Kenyan families, it is crucial for the government to keep track of such data to effectively combat the disease.
