Patients visiting public hospitals in Uasin Gishu may in the future be required to undergo mandatory screening for cancer, diabetes and hypertension as the county seeks to enhance diagnosis and treatment of the three ailments.
The new plan is meant to ensure early diagnosis. And the screening will be free of charge.
This follows a decision by MCAs to approve a motion seeking to have the county government introduce a policy that will ensure patients are first screened for these diseases upon arriving in hospital.
Tarakwa MCA Patrick Bundotich, while moving the motion, said the policy will help the county’s department of health to address the burden noncommunicable diseases in the county.
Bundotich noted that many lives are lost to the killer diseases due to late diagnosis, hence the need for the mandatory screening.
“The prayer of this motion is to ask the county government, through the department of health, to come up with a policy such that patients are screened to ensure early diagnosis,” Bundotich said.
He said: “Data from WHO shows a rise in noncommunicable diseases across the world and Uasin Gishu is not an exception.”
“Also, according to data we have received from hospitals, there are a lot of patients suffering from these diseases. Most of the cancers are detected at stages three or four, when it is already late to manage them,” said Bundotich during a session chaired by temporary speaker Amos Kiptanui.
Kiplombe MCA Ramadhan Ali termed free and mandatory screening for cancer, diabetes and hypertension a step in the right direction. “We will save many lives once the policy is in place,” Ali said.