Move fast to alleviate cancer patients' pain

Cancer patients seeking medical help at the largest referral hospital in East and Central Africa, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), are facing serious challenges with the ever-growing backlog of cancer treatment cases. At least 1,000 patients have so far been placed on the waiting list, which stretches to 2017. A two-year wait for someone suffering the pain of cancer could mean that many of them will not be lucky to receive any form of treatment at all. This is not only sad, it is frightening and the Government must wake up to the fact that it has a responsibility to its citizens to make access to medical treatment and facilities easy.

Many cancer patients prefer KNH for its relatively low cost. The hospital charges Sh500 per session, compared to other medical facilities around the country that charge as much as Sh10,000 per session. Consequently, though KNH's capacity is about 10 patients per day, there are more than 100 cancer sufferers who seek attention at the hospital daily.