Breast Cancer has been identified as the most prevalent problem in Kisii region as worries pile over the increasing burden of the disease.
According to experts, cervical cancer is the second with most reported cases with esophageal, colorectal and prostate cancers following in the respective order, something that has caused concern among researchers and caregivers.
Dr Bahaty Riogi, a consultant oncoplastic breast and general surgeon at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital said cancer cases are increasing by the day besides the burden of treatment and special diagnosis that are yet to be fully addressed locally.
Another challenge is that there is no established cancer registry that will be key in generation of data on the disease.
Kisii University and the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital have been marked for the establishment of a Cancer Research, Prevention and Management centre that will be covering Nyanza Region.
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The partnership of the two institutions is coming ahead of the launch of a regional cancer centre in Kisii Town, a facility that is expected to offer comprehensive cancer care services that are not available in the Region.
“Currently, specialized treatment services like radiotherapy are only found in Eldoret, Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru and Garissa, translating to a huge burden to cancer patients who will need to travel afar to find them. But with the establishment of a regional cancer center, we shall overcome the burden,” Dr Bahaty said.
Kisii University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of academics, research and student affairs assured that the University was ready to partner with KTRH to make research and management of the disease to match the required standards according to the growing demand.
The University’s Dean of School of Health Sciences Dr Raymond Oigara noted that there was need for the Government to increase funding on research and management of the disease.
“As we speak, cancer has overtaken communicable diseases in terms of prevalence and burden and this is a worrying situation that calls for enhanced efforts towards research, prevention and management,” Dr Oigara said.
A team of healthcare experts drawn from the Nyanza region have been at the Kisii University where they have been drawing up a roadmap toward the establishment of the Kisii Cancer Center.
Already, the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom is collaborating with the KTRH through an exchange program where specialized health caregivers are on an exchange program that is part of the wider dream of establishment of a cancer center in the region.