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{
"id": 638159,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/638159/?format=api",
"text_counter": 656,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Nyasuna",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 590,
"legal_name": "Gladys Atieno Nyasuna",
"slug": "gladys-atieno-nyasuna"
},
"content": "About 60 per cent of Kenyans affected by cancer are below 70 years old. We, sometimes, sit back and imagine that cancer is a disease of older people. However, now research shows that 60 per cent of those affected by cancer are below 70 years old. As I have said, we suffer acutely from lack of awareness, inadequate diagnostic and treatment facilities as well as the high cost of treatment. You will find that when people who suffer from cancer go to their first point of contact, a lot of times they are mis-diagnosed. That has occurred in many cases. You are told you are suffering from another disease - which you begin to treat. You treat it but you do not get better. Finally, you discover that it was cancer. That is why we are saying that we must have specialists at the lowest level possible so that we have early diagnosis of cancer cases. Just to give some numbers, in 2010, we had 11,995 people dying from cancer in Kenya. That accounted for 12 per cent of the deaths. In 2011, we had 11,500, accounting for 13 per cent. In 2012, we had 12,574, accounting for 14 per cent. In 2013, we had 13,720, accounting for 15 per cent and in 2014; we had 14,175 accounting for 16 per cent. I just want members to note the rising percentages. It has moved from 12 per cent in 2010 to 16 per cent in 2014. So, we are on a rising trend and we need to do something about it. In terms of health facilities, there are very few hospitals that offer some form of basic services to cancer patients. The public one that we know is Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). Of course, we also have private hospitals such as MP Shah Hospital, Nairobi Hospital and Aga Khan University Hospital. However, how many of the people we represent can afford to go to MP Shah Hospital, which charges Kshs10,000 per session of radiotherapy? How many people can afford to go to Nairobi Hospital, which charges Kshs15,000 per session of radiotherapy? The facilities I have named are mainly in Nairobi. Let me use my own county. Imagine a person coming from Nyadhiwa in Suba, Homa Bay County, trying to reach KNH. We have read reports and seen what is going on. I know members of the Departmental Committee on Health, while contributing, will tell us that there are only two radiotherapy machines at KNH. Those two machines have a queue for 18 months. When you go now, you have hopes of being treated two years from now. Do you have any chance of surviving? The other day, we heard that one of the two machines has broken down. So, what we are dealing with here is a major crisis. This Motion only deals with one very small aspect of the crisis that we are facing. We are facing a major crisis. This Motion is dealing with just a small aspect – the aspect of human resource. Let me get to that point of the human resource. In terms of the human capacity for cancer treatment in our public hospitals, there are only four radiation oncologists, six medical oncologists, four paediatric oncologists, five radiotherapy technologists and three oncology nurses that are available to serve the entire Kenyan population. There is an acute shortage of personnel. This is the part of this crisis that this Motion is trying to address. Due to shortage of facilities and staffing, most Kenyans who can afford have had to travel to India as a common destination. I know we are invited for Harambees all the time. Other destinations that patients go to get treatment are like the United States of America, the United Kingdom, South Africa and other countries. Substantial resources are required and I am afraid to say that many Kenyans who cannot afford to get treatment abroad have sadly often succumbed to complications."
}