Pesticides could be to blame for upsurge in cancer cases, deaths

Pesticides could just turn out to be one big category of substances seriously affecting our health. Not all, but many of them. [iStockphoto]

According to the Kenya Cancer Policy 2019 - 2030, new cases of cancer in the country rose from 37,000 to 47,884 between 2012 and 2018. In the same period, cancer deaths rose from 28,500 to 32,987 - almost four deaths per hour - making cancer the third leading cause of death in Kenya after infectious and cardiovascular diseases.

The projections are not rosy either; these deaths could rise by up to 120 per cent in the subsequent two decades.