Governor Bii’s Administration Plans to Prevent,Treat Cancer
The County Government of Uasin Gishu has purposed to invest in capacity building for personnel as well as equipping health facilities with modern equipment necessary for the fight against cancer.
Governor Jonathan Bii, in a speech read by County Executive for Health Services Dr Sam Kotut, said his government is working to address the existing gaps in health, to bolster prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.
At the World Cancer Day, celebrations on Saturday, the Governor said improving infrastructure for diagnosis, treatment and cancer registry, supporting primary Health interventions in educating and creating awareness on cancer prevention and early screening are among the activities to be undertaken.
Dr Kotut also said the County will strengthen community engagement and involvement in cancer health care further calling in the residents to get early screening and avoid predisposing factors such as smoking, irrational use of chemicals,drugs and substance,poor diet, alcoholism,lack of exercises and untreated infections.
The Health Services boss also called on the caregivers, schools and research institutions to help all girls aged 10-14 years get Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine to protect them against cervical cancer thanking the various stakeholders who have partnered with the County to carried out screening services.
Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Chief Executive Officer, Dr Wilson Aruasa noted that over 16,000 patients are screened annually at Mtrh.
“I call upon the residents to always go for reviews for early detection of the disease and treatment because we are now able to do advanced liver surgeries and transplants at Mtrh,”says Dr Aruasa.
The celebrations saw the stakeholders including the survivors walk for 5kms to ensure they mark the care gap in cancer health care.
The celebrations were a culmination of one month prevention of cancer interventions whereby the County health facilities have been carrying out health education, counseling, screening, diagnosis,treating and doing refferals. This year’s theme was closing the gap in cancer health care.