Cancer centre to ease burden for Kilifi patients

 Kilifi County Referral Hospital will host the cancer centre and a 5-bed chemotherapy unit. [File, Standard]

Kilifi county government has announced plans to unveil a new cancer centre at the Kilifi County Referral Hospital, a significant step in improving access to care for one of the most marginalised regions.

The cancer centre and a 5-bed chemotherapy unit project involves a partnership with Aga Khan Health Services for, and includes screenings, HPV vaccinations, and enhanced diagnosis.

The centre is aimed at strengthening cance, screening, and treatment systems in the county.

Governor Gideon Mungaro said the centre set to be launched this month will enable patients to receive cheap medication across the Coast region.

“We will start offering chemotherapy services to cancer patients at our hospital,” he said.

Mungaro said he had partnered with Thumbay Hospital University in UAE to have county medical staff receive advanced medical training including handling of cancer patients.

Aga Khan Hospital Mombasa Head of Projects Aquinius Mung’atia said all the equipment are already set and they are waiting for inspection and approval by the The National Cancer Institute of Kenya before launch.

“We have completed all the work and we have done all the application for NCI-K, so once we get the go ahead then we will launch the centre,’’ said Mungatia.

Mungatia said the centre will serve the counties of Kilifi, Lamu and Tana River.

For years, Kilifi’s cancer patients have faced immense barriers, occasioned by long hours on the road, to reach the nearest treatment centres in Mombasa.

These logistical challenges, combined with high travel costs and limited awareness, often lead to late diagnoses and poor outcomes.

The proposed cancer centre aims to change this by bringing essential diagnostic and treatment services to the local community.

“Lamu and Tana River have no chemotherapy services, so all these counties were coming to Coast General or travel all the way to Nairobi so it will offload a lot of traffic coming to Coast General,’’ he said.