Did You Know That Kenya Has Only 30 Cancer Oncologists?

Did you know that Kenya has only 30 cancer experts expected to take care of at least 48,000 cancer patients? Stats now show that more cancer patients in Kenya die while still on the list of those scheduled to see an expert.

Kenya is said to have only 12 radiotherapy machines, 3 of which are at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). The country has only one public radiotherapy center at KNH that is always overwhelmed.

Patients in rural areas are expected to travel to the capital city for treatment, and since the majority of them are poor, they end up remaining in the village waiting for the day death will come knocking.

READ: At Least 80 Kenyans Die Daily Due To Cancer

Stats show that at least 80 Kenyans are dying on a daily basis due to cancer, at least 2,500 of them monthly and 30,000 annually as a result of cancer.

Cancer remains one of the largest silent killers in Kenya. The disease is only talked about and promises made when a prominent person dies from it.

READ: Israelis Invent A Method That Can Treat Cancer in 10 Minutes

Different quarters have been pushing the government of President Uhuru Kenyatta to declare cancer as a national disaster but the Head of State has been reluctant about it.

What is shocking is that at least 60 Kenyan Members of Parliament and Senators are ailing from cancer and seeking medication in such countries as India but cannot sit and pass a legislation to make cancer treatment affordable for Kenyans.

Cervical Cancer

According to Global Alliance for Vaccines (GAVI), at least 300,000 women die from cancer of the cervix annually, which is worrisome as the disease has risen to kill more women than those that die from maternal health.

The Alliance says that because cervical cancer cases continue to increase by the day, and seeing that the death rate stands at 300,000 annually, countries should embrace prevention plans or risk losing up to 500,000 women to cancer by the year 2040.

READ: Cervical Cancer Deaths Could Hit 500,000 By 2040