SHA should improve screening and treatment of cancer countrywide

Launch of the HCG CCK Cancer centre KenyaCh Gallium-68 pet/ct scan service machine in Nairobi Kenya at the HCG Cancer centre in parklands ,shivachi road ,Nairobi. [David Gichuru/Standard]

The rising cancer burden in Kenya has exposed critical gaps in the accessibility and affordability of cancer care. With the launch of the Social Health Authority (SHA) Fund - that has replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) - there is hope that universal health coverage (UHC) will finally address these longstanding challenges. Yet, questions remain about how effectively the new scheme will serve the growing population of cancer patients.

Kenya records an estimated 47,000 new cancer cases and over 32,000 related deaths each year. Many of these outcomes stem from late diagnoses, limited treatment options, and prohibitively high costs.