Bedridden with rare cancer, girl’s plight exposes shocking state of Kenya’s healthcare

Belinda Atieno, who is suffering from a rare form of cancer, is assisted to stand. [PHOTO: SCOPHINE OTIENO]

KENYA: If only the malignant tumour had been diagnosed in its early stages, poor Belinda Otieno would be in school today preparing for her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam in the next few weeks.

The 18-year-old girl was full of dreams, her poor parents banked on her as the holder of the key to economic stability and the Good Samaritan who was paying her fees was confident she was going places.