Cancer killing 50 Kenyans a day - President Kibaki

President Mwai Kibaki and His Higness the Aga Khan on a tour of the Aga Khan University Hospital Heart and Cancer Centre during the official opening of the facility in Nairobi.

NAIROBI - President Mwai Kibaki has called for concerted efforts in the fight and treatment cancer, noting that 50 Kenyans die daily as a result of the disease while 82,000 are diagnosed annually.


To help fight the disease, the Government will expedite the finalization of the Draft Cancer Bill and Strategy in order to provide a comprehensive framework for the treatment and control of cancer and cardio-vascular diseases, President Kibaki assured Kenyans today.
The President pointed out that once enacted the Bill will complement the Tobacco Control Act and the National Alcohol Control Act that are now operational.
To further enhance access to heart and cancer treatment, especially to rural populations, the Head of State said, the Government will establish cancer centres outside Nairobi .
“The Government is also modernizing facilities at the Kenyatta National Hospital to meet current needs,” the President said.
President Kibaki was speaking at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi where he presided over the official opening of the hospital’s Heart and Cancer Centre.
He emphasized that the Government attaches great importance to the development of the health sector, saying the health of Kenyans is crucial to the country’s socio-economic development.
Said the President: “It is for this reason that the Government has consistently increased funding for the health sector from 15 billion shillings 8 years ago to about 60 billion shillings currently.”
In this regard, the President welcomed contribution of other players, especially the private sector and development partners, towards complementing the efforts of the Government to meet the increased demand for healthcare services.
President Kibaki observed that, as a result of the joint efforts of the Government and the private sector, the country has recorded positive developments with Infant Mortality Rate declining from 77 per 1000 children born to 52 per 1000.
The Head of State said the proportion of children receiving full immunization has also increased from 57 percent in to almost 80 percent.
President Kibaki, once again, commended His Highness the Aga Khan for his personal initiatives to improve the lives of Kenyans, saying the opening of the Heart and Cancer Centre is a major milestone towards bringing world class healthcare and medical education to Kenya and the wider East African region.
“The Centre, demonstrates the long term commitment of Your Highness to building excellence in the provision of quality healthcare in our region. Indeed, this state-of-the-art facility will provide an opportunity for Kenya to serve the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa,” President Kibaki said.
Noting that the Heart and Cancer Centre will be accessible to the poor through the Aga Khan University Hospitals’ Patient Welfare Program, the President said the program will ensure that world class treatment is available even to those who cannot afford the services.
President Kibaki added that the opening of the Heart and Cancer Centre is a timely response to cardiovascular diseases and cancers which are increasingly becoming a big health challenge, saying the centre will not only provide quality care but also create local capacity by training future generations of doctors in the specialties of cardiology and oncology.
Said the President: “This Centre will also be used to train professionals and undertake research in these areas. It will enable our professionals and expatriates working outside Kenya to come and offer the much needed services to our people.”
Speaking during the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Uhuru Kenyatta thanked the government of France through the French Development Agency for the continued support to Kenya ’s development agenda.
Mr. Kenyatta also expressed appreciation to the Aga Khan Development network for choosing Kenya as its regional center for its activities focusing on health and education sectors.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the Government encouraged public/private partnerships in all sectors including Energy, Transport and Agriculture to enable the country realize targets envisioned under Vision 2030.
The Minister for Medical Services Prof. Anyang Nyong’o, on his part, assured that the Government was developing mechanisms that will ensure poor Kenyans access specialized treatment.
He also paid tribute to the Aga Khan Foundation for supporting Government initiatives in the provision of quality healthcare services.
His highness the Aga Khan, who is also the Chancellor of the Aga Khan University , said the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) will continue to partner with governments, the financial sector and the civil society in meeting the demands and challenges posed by the technological changes in the health sector.
The Aga Khan observed that the newly opened Heart and Cancer Center was in response to the burgeoning growth in chronic diseases in Kenya and the region and assured of quality and affordance service.
The center, the Aga Khan said, is equipped with the most advanced technology to provide high standard care and treatment for the full spectrum of heart and cancer diseases.
Saying the Aga Khan University was also partnering with other international institutions to build local capacity to provide highly specialized healthcare, His Highness assured the underprivileged members of society that they will access medical services.
Others who spoke during the occasion included the Director-General FDA Mr. Dov Zerah and the Aga Khan University Hospital Cardiac Programme Director Dr. Harun otieno.
The ceremony was also attended by former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, Public Health Minister Beth Mugo and Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet Amb. Francis Muthaura among other dignitaries.
Source: PPS