AstraZeneca, a global biopharmaceutical corporation, has partnered with Kenya’s Ministry of Health to address the country’s cancer concerns with the launch of the Cancer Care Africa program.
Other partners include the Kenya Society of Haematology and Oncology (KESHO), Axios, and Kenya’s National Cancer Institute (NCI), among others. The project aims to address major gaps in cancer care across the country, from diagnosis to treatment.
Cancer has become a major public health issue in Kenya and throughout Africa. According to the most recent World Health Organisation (WHO) data, 44,726 cancer cases and 29,317 cancer deaths occurred in Kenya year 2022.
This falls against a regional backdrop in which Africa is expected to have 2.1 million new cases and 1.4 million fatalities per year by 2040.
Despite recent advances in cancer funding, numerous important barriers remain, including a lack of disease awareness, poor diagnostic skills, a lack of systematic screening programs, and difficulty accessing treatment.
“The launch of the Cancer Care Africa program in Kenya is a significant step towards improving cancer care for all,” Health CS Susan Nakhumicha said.
She added, “This collaborative initiative has the potential to significantly improve access to diagnosis, treatment, and care, ultimately saving lives and improving the well-being of Kenyans impacted by this disease, as well as their families and communities.”
Cancer Care Africa has previously supplied ultrasound biopsy machines to seven hospitals in the country to help with early prostate cancer identification, as well as the country’s first biomarker testing machine for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations to Aga Khan University Hospital.
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