Ochieng points to this type of
differentiated response to issues because
the country has in the recent times been
in general mourning and anger directed at
the government because three prominent
people have died of cancer.
There are calls to declare cancer a national
disaster because it is decimating leaders,
some are behaving as if this is the first
time they have heard of the disease. The
government is being lambasted for doing
too little to combat this menace that will
So it appears to
Ochieng
that
what needs to be
declared a nation-
al disaster is the
health care system
in Kenya and not
any particular dis-
ease. A death is a
death irrespective
of what causes it
and to die because
one cannot access
treatment is the
crisis.
surely be the end of Kenya. be slow growing or aggressive.
Ochieng is aware that a declaration of a
national disaster has happened in Kenya
in the past when draught-ravaged areas
were without food. Foodstuff, drinks and
medical supplies were shipped to the
affected areas to alleviate human suffering
and deaths. Most of these cancers are difficult to detect
at an early stage because most cancers are
not accompanied by pain of discomfort
and by the time one is actively being
bothered by cancer there is a likelihood
that the cancer is at an advanced stage.
We need to determine if cancer is actually
a national disaster of such enormity and
urgency. So Ochieng would like to briefly
paint the cancer environment to put the
arguments in perspective and remove
drama and posturing that abounds for PR
purposes.
Cancer is a disease that is caused by a
mutation of normal body cells that begin to
attack healthy cells. If the body’s immune
system is robust the body can fight off
these rebel cells and keep the body free of
these free radicals.
If however the body’s immune system
is compromised the rogue cells grow
steadily and form a mass which is what
is subsequently diagnosed as cancer. It is
not as yet clear what causes the cells to
mutate in the first place although there are
conditions that predispose the change.
There are over two hundred identified
types of cancers and each one behaves in
a different way and requires a different
specialty to cure. We are not mentioning
the added complication that cancers can
Many cancers can be detected using PET
scans even when they cannot be seen using
other currently available medical imaging
techniques. Kenya has just got access to its
first PET scan at the Aga Khan Hospital.
In Kenya there are about 48,000 reported
cases of new cancer infections per
year of which 33,000 will die. This is a
conservative figure since there are many
cases of misdiagnosis as cancer can be
extremely difficult to correctly diagnose.
There are currently 33 oncologists in
Kenya; the country has an estimated
population of 50 million. Almost all
oncologists are based in Nairobi because
that is where you will be able to find the
other complementary services related to
cancer treatment.
For example one cannot do oncology
radiation outside Nairobi and only one
public referral hospital, Kenyatta National
Hospital is available for radiology
treatment. The queue for cancer treatment
therefore stretches into months.
A normal cancer treatment duration is