Why we must make cancer prevention, control a priority

Sheila Anyango, a 46-year-old mum, had to wait for more than four months to receive surgery that was her only hope of recovery from early onset of cervical cancer.

By the time she jumped bureaucratic hurdles then went to a regional referral hospital for the operation, the cancer had advanced with complications involving the kidneys and spine.

Surgery was no longer an option and Sheila was left with the option to either die at home or in hospital. She opted to return to her village for home-based care as she could not afford nursing home care.

Sadly, Sheila is not alone.

Of nearly 20,000 plus new cases of cancers detected annually that are responsive to surgery, financial barriers and long waiting lists have been the greatest barriers to timely life-saving interventions.

During a recent health summit, it was clear that cancer is now among the top priority health issues in the country.

Key action points from various stakeholders had two goals in mind: “Speed up access now and build greater capacity in Kenya for the future”.

Its is anticipated that regional cancer centres will be set up to deal with this emerging problem and that personnel training, across all cadres, will also be prioritised.

The need for specialised state-of-the art modern equipment in an essential component of the set up.

Its often said that one third of all cancers can be prevented, one third can be cured if detected early, while the other third may only be responsive to palliative care.

A narrow focus on cancer prevention, detection and care can only succeed as part of wider efforts to strengthen public health systems.

Ultimately, cancer control (prevention, early presentation, affordable high-quality control, cure and palliation) can only be built on strong existing health systems.

There is therefore need to plan and invest in holistic health systems strengthening and support to ensure sustainable impact.