MP wants cancer declared a national disaster

Cancer could soon be declared a national disaster in Kenya if Members of Parliament give a nod to a motion tabled before the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday, February 21.

Laikipia Woman Representative Catherine Waruguru, who filed the notice of motion, also wants the government to create a fund that would be used in establishing a cancer treatment centre in all the 47 counties.

“Noting that effective treatments of cancer require availability of specialists, chemotherapy services, essential drugs for pain management and adequate infrastructure in treatment, there is need for clear policies concerning terminal pain management for pain management, financial and human resources support and palliative care for cancer patients,” reads the notice of motion.

The motion is set to come up for debate in the National Assembly of Tuesday, February 27.

Statistics indicate that globally, cancer causes more deaths than HIV, TB and Malaria combined.

It is estimated that 39,000 new cases of cancer are recorded annually in Kenya with more than 27,000 deaths per year.

In 2012, Parliament passed the National Cancer Control and Prevention Act, which set in motion the creation of a National Cancer Institute (NCI). NCI was meant to be an independent centre for research, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

However, five years on, not much has been achieved in cancer prevention with stakeholders blaming the apparent dormancy of the body on lack of government good will.