Reality of Kenyan Cancer Patients in India: The Rich Versus the Poor
Cancer has claimed many lives and many have survived too, those that have died have proven to us that there is dignity in letting go even the spirit is willing if the body is giving way, those that soldier on have proven to us that we should not wallow in self-pity and give up without a fight if our bodies and spirit are willing to fight.
Those that have survived cancer diagnosis have taught us one thing, the fight shall be won and one day, same cancer, that has killed as many have fought it, shall also die.
Winning over cancer however shall not happen without major changes of attitude in our leadership and health care system, priorities must change, and leadership has to get off its comfort zone, dashing from country to country garnering ludicrous ideas.
Kenya celebrates men and women, whose life mostly ended at the climax of their lives and after which Kenyans must have hoped that the Government would promptly kick in to sort the healthcare gap that exists in the treatment of Cancer.
Below are a number of people who have succumbed to cancer and left the hope that maybe, just maybe, our legislators would pass policies to ensure sufficient healthcare providence.
Bob Collymore
Bob succumbed to Acute Myeloid Leukemia two years after a late diagnosis by 6 months. Bob’s life would most definitely have been saved with a timely diagnosis, but well, it happened, what can be done to avoid such lives being lost?
Bob had earlier been misdiagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency and blood-related cancer cost him a down payment of 100,000 shillings at Nairobi hospital to just have the tests done yet the diagnosis did not happen.
The doctor who was seeing Bob at the time recommended that he flew to the United Kingdom that same night to be at the hands of a hematologist which Bob did in the company of his wife, Wambui.
The unspoken reality is that for a financially average Kenyan who is heavily taxed and exploited, the mere 100, 000 shillings that were required to have the bone marrow test done would have taken a Harambee that would have seen one literally begging to raise for months.
Professor Wangari Maathai
Professor Wangari Maathai whom we all as Kenyans remember for winning the Nobel Peace prize and championing the protection of the environment died on 25th September 2011 from ovarian cancer at a Nairobi hospital.
Kenya lost a great leader if Wangari had known she would lose her life to cancer, would she have drafted the right bill to bring sufficient cancer treatment closer home and provide sufficient free mandatory screening? What has the legislators she left behind done to ensure the number of lives lost to cancer reduces through early diagnosis? NOTHING!
Nyeri Governor, Nderitu Gachagua
Nderitu Gachagua, the first Governor of Nyeri County died on 24th February 2017 at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London where he had gone for treatment after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Ben Oluoch
The Migori Senator, Ben Oluoch, died at MP Shah Hospital in Nairobi in June 2018 after battling throat cancer.
Oluoch, 52, had visited India twice and was at the time admitted at Nairobi’s MP Shah.
Leaders Who Have Survived Cancer
BETH MUGO
Beth Mugo is a survivor of breast cancer and was diagnosed in January 2012 at the age of 73 years.
Beth Mugo then served as the country’s Public Health Cabinet Minister which is likely to have helped in easing her treatment.
Beth is, however, the one only political leader who seems to have taken a step to help in solving the cancer problem through the Beth Mugo Foundation which mobilizes support for enhanced access to breast, cervical and prostate cancer information, screening and referral for improved prevention, early detection, and treatment.
ANYANG’ NYONG’O