Kenya’s cancer burden cannot be dealt with through treatment alone. This was the consensus at the 2nd National Cancer Summit. County leaders, Oncologists, and pharmaceutical executives called for a greater focus on prevention and early detection, coupled with a commitment to ensuring equitable access to cancer care. Dr. Gregory Ganda, County Executive Committee member (CECm) for Kisumu County, took the lead by challenging policymakers to improve the implementation of cancer control. “Policies must move us from illness to wellness,” he said. “We have put too much focus on treatment while underfunding prevention and screening.”
At the county level, Kisumu is already walking the talk by showing what adapting national policies looks like. Through their collaboration with UNICEF and local schools, they have been able to triple HPV coverage and are now looking to expand their prevention programs to underserved areas using mobile mammogram units. Women will be able to get breast cancer screening closer to them. Kisumu County has also screened 30,000 women for cervical cancer annually, with a target of reaching 150,000 in 5 years. These efforts, Dr. Ganda noted, show how county-level innovation can turn policy into impact.
Beyond County efforts, the private sector is also stepping in to strengthen access. Pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies shared the progress of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) they signed with the Government to provide affordable drugs for cancer treatment through the Social Health Insurance (SHA) scheme. Speakers at the panel led by NCI-K’s board chair, Dr. Timothy Olweny took the opportunity to highlight the importance of data integration, digitization, and primary care coordination in sustaining these partnerships.
Kenya’s launch of the Essential Diagnostic List (EDL-2023)- a first in Africa was also lauded as a major step in ensuring equitable access to essential tests, but funding is key. Another recurring concern at the summit was equity. Oncologists called for a standardized treatment protocol across counties to ensure cancer patients receive the same quality of care irrespective of their location. Across the panel, experts agreed on one thing: that tackling the cancer burden must put prevention and diagnostics at its core. With stronger cross-sector collaboration, Kenya can reduce its cancer burden and make progress in advancing Universal Health Coverage.