The National Cancer Institute of Kenya (NCI-K) yesterday participated in Africa Press Day 2026, a flagship regional convening hosted by Roche Africa. The event brought together leading voices shaping the future of health in Africa—including patient advocates, policymakers, innovators, and more than 40 journalists from across the continent—to explore a critical question: What is health truly worth to societies, economies, and Africa’s long-term sovereignty?
Held under the theme “Health: What’s it worth?”, the 2026 edition reframed health not as a cost or social expenditure, but as an economic driver that underpins productivity, resilience, equity, and sustainable development across the continent. The event took place at Mbagathi Hospital and included a site visit to the EMPOWER Digital Clinic.
Panel discussion. From left: Dr. Victor Kibe, Head of Division for NCD
Care in Nairobi County, Dr. Matiko, CEO, Savannah Informatics, Jacqueline Wambua, Roche East Africa General Manager, and Emily Barsito, Head of Partnerships, Resource Mobilization and Strategic Planning, NCI-K
This year’s discussions also placed special focus on women’s health, recognizing its central role in workforce participation, household stability, and intergenerational prosperity across African societies.
A key highlight of the visit was the EMPOWER digital platform, developed in collaboration with NCI-K, Savannah Global Health, and Roche. The platform is a digital patient notification and navigation tool for individuals diagnosed with cancer, enabling real-time data capture and improved care coordination. The system has been integrated into the National Cancer Registry (NaCaRe) to strengthen cancer reporting, harmonize data across facilities, and enhance patient tracking to ensure that no patient is lost along the continuum of care.
The panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Moses Owino, Director of Medical Services for Nairobi City County Government, and featured key leaders in health policy, oncology, and digital innovation. Among the panelists was Emily Barsito, Head of Partnerships, Strategic Planning and Resource Mobilization at NCI-K, alongside Dr. Victor Kibe (Head of the Division for NCD Care, Nairobi County), Suzanne Silantoi (Health, Wellness and Nutrition, Nairobi County), H.E. Dorothy Nyong’o (Managing Trustee, Africa Cancer Foundation and First Lady of Kisumu County), and Dr. Matiko, CEO of Savannah Informatics.
During the discussion, Emily Barsito addressed two key issues. First, she spoke on the role of digital health platforms in strengthening the national cancer response, highlighting how NaCaRe and EMPOWER tools enable the government to track patient outcomes more effectively, generate real-time data for decision-making, and support evidence-based allocation of health resources.
Secondly, she discuNCI-K Participates in Africa Press Day 2026
The National Cancer Institute of Kenya (NCI-K) yesterday participated in Africa Press Day 2026, a flagship regional convening hosted by Roche Africa. The event brought together leading voices shaping the future of health in Africa—including patient advocates, policymakers, innovators, and more than 40 journalists from across the continent—to explore a critical question: What is health truly worth to societies, economies, and Africa’s long-term sovereignty?
Held under the theme “Health: What’s it worth?”, the 2026 edition reframed health not as a cost or social expenditure, but as an economic driver that underpins productivity, resilience, equity, and sustainable development across the continent. The event took place at Mbagathi Hospital and included a site visit to the EMPOWER Digital Clinic.
This year’s discussions also placed special focus on women’s health, recognizing its central role in workforce participation, household stability, and intergenerational prosperity across African societies.
A key highlight of the visit was the EMPOWER digital platform, developed in collaboration with NCI-K, Savannah Global Health, and Roche. The platform is a digital patient notification and navigation tool for individuals diagnosed with cancer, enabling real-time data capture and improved care coordination. The system has been integrated into the National Cancer Registry (NaCaRe) to strengthen cancer reporting, harmonize data across facilities, and enhance patient tracking to ensure that no patient is lost along the continuum of care.
The panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Moses Owino, Director of Medical Services for Nairobi City County Government, and featured key leaders in health policy, oncology, and digital innovation. Among the panelists was Emily Barsito, Head of Partnerships, Strategic Planning and Resource Mobilization at NCI-K, alongside Dr. Victor Kibe (Head of the Division for NCD Care, Nairobi County), Suzanne Silantoi (Health, Wellness and Nutrition, Nairobi County), H.E. Dorothy Nyong’o (Managing Trustee, Africa Cancer Foundation and First Lady of Kisumu County), and Dr. Matiko, CEO of Savannah Informatics.
During the discussion, Emily Barsito addressed two key issues. First, she spoke on the role of digital health platforms in strengthening the national cancer response, highlighting how NaCaRe and EMPOWER tools enable the government to track patient outcomes more effectively, generate real-time data for decision-making, and support evidence-based allocation of health resources.
Secondly, she discussed standardization and equity in cancer care, noting that the National Cancer Control Strategy helps ensure that the standard of care remains consistent across the country.
Through its participation in Africa Press Day, NCI-K reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging digital innovation, partnerships, and data-driven approaches to strengthen cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and patient support systems in Kenya.ssed standardization and equity in cancer care, noting that the National Cancer Control Strategy helps ensure that the standard of care remains consistent across the country.
Through its participation in Africa Press Day, NCI-K reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging digital innovation, partnerships, and data-driven approaches to strengthen cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and patient support systems in Kenya.
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