President Uhuru Divulges Gov’t Plan to Reduce Cancer Deaths

President Kenyatta has promised that the government will boost interventions aimed at curbing the number of cancer-related deaths in the country.

Speaking during a Cabinet meeting, Kenyatta said the government is collaborating with partners to put up measures aimed at making it easier for Kenyans to get cancer treatment.

“We need to see what more we can do to assist both in prevention but also in the treatment of the disease. And we need to do that as a Government together with the county governments,” Kenyatta said.

“This is an issue that we need to take more seriously and galvanize all of us to come up with a solution both in preventive –which is most important – but also in helping fellow Kenyans to get treatment, and get it early for those already affected by the disease,” he added.

Cancer has recently claimed the lives of Bomet Governor Dr. Joyce Laboso, Kibra Member of Parliament Ken Okoth and Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore.

Cancer is rated the third leading killer disease in Kenya behind pneumonia and malaria, contributing to seven percent of the total deaths.

Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki said that 47,887 new cases of cancer are recorded annually in Kenya while 32,987 succumb to the disease each year. There have been calls to declare cancer a national disaster.