Day: May 3, 2024

The Ministry of Health, in partnership with AstraZeneca, has launched the Cancer Care Africa Programme to improve Cancer Care in the Country by improving access and outcomes across the patient care pathways, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond.

Cancer has become a major public health concern in Kenya and across Africa, with the latest statistics from the World Health Organisation showing that there were 44,726 cancer cases and 29,317 cancer deaths in Kenya in the year 2022.

The figure is set against a regional context that estimates a total of 2.1 million new cases and 1.4 million deaths annually by 2040 across Africa.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Susan Nakhumicha, said that the launch of the Cancer Care Africa programme in the country signifies a step towards improving cancer care for all.

Nakhumicha made the remarks in a speech read on her behalf by the National Cancer Institute of Kenya, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Elias Melly, during the launch of the Cancer Care Africa Programme held at the
Nairobi Hotel.

She said that the collaborative initiative with other stakeholders has the potential to significantly improve access to diagnosis, treatment, and care, saving lives and improving the well-being of the country.

The CS noted that a few decades ago, cancer and other non-communicable diseases were not a major concern for the country, while adding that preoccupation was largely with infectious diseases such as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, among others.

‘Today, however, cancer has emerged as a critical health issue across Africa, exerting a disproportionately huge burden on families and on our healthcare system. Today, cancer is ranked the third leading cause of death in Kenya, behind infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases, and the fifth in Africa,’ she said.

The CS said what most Kenyans dread is a cancer diagnosis to a family member, as such a diagnosis may not only portend an early loss of a loved one, but a catastrophic financial burden for the entire household.

‘Despite its grow
ing prevalence and mortality, quality cancer care remains a challenge for many; this has a more severe impact on underserved populations, exacerbating existing health inequalities,’ CS said.

She said that the programme will play a key role in cancer care and management by challenging traditional thinking and advocating for policy changes in cancer care to improve outcomes for all individuals affected by the disease, regardless of their demographic, geographic, or socio-economic status.

‘The Accelerating Change for Cancer Care programme is key in supporting health systems to embrace innovative health technologies, which have the potential to make cancer screening more accessible, particularly in remote and underserved communities in Africa,’ she stated.

She announced that the ministry and partners envision a country with sustainable and equitable cancer care infrastructure that bridges the gap from diagnosis to treatment by leveraging local initiatives in Africa to redefine cancer care and build healthcare
capacity for the delivery of quality and affordable care for all.

‘The partnership with AstraZeneca brings together cancer experts, researchers, patient voices, health tech firms, government officials, and policymakers, aiming to develop sustainable cancer care ecosystems that can withstand the burden of future pressures,’ she revealed.

CS acknowledges that partnerships with AstraZeneca Cancer Care Africa, will amplify cancer prevention and control and co-create a comprehensive and coordinated approach to cancer care in the country.

Additionally, she said that 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.

She said the government under the Ministry of Health has prioritised and made cancer diagnosis, care, and treatment affordable for families, noting that with the establishment of the Social Health Authorit
y (SHA), Kenyans will get even greater relief on spending as SHA will take care of the huge costs of cancer treatment for all.

In his remarks, Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice-President, Oncology Business Unit, at AstraZeneca, said that the Cancer Care Africa programme will support early detection, increase timely diagnosis, and improve access to treatment options for patients in Kenya.

‘With an increasing number of patients being diagnosed with cancer in Kenya and across Africa in the coming decades, joint action to improve patient outcomes and safeguard health care systems for the future has never been more important,’ he said.

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led bio-pharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases and Bio pharmaceuticals.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani has called on residents in low land and flood-prone areas to relocate to higher ground as heavy rains are expected in the coastal region in the days and weeks ahead.

Governor Achani ordered people living around river banks and flood-prone areas of the coastal county to relocate to higher grounds to avoid flooding until after the rainy season.

The county boss said the devolved government had put necessary measures in place in mitigating the effects of possible flood disasters noting that the move would keep residents of such areas safe ahead of the expected heavy rains in May.

She stated that the devolved unit is making the necessary preparations to effectively mitigate the negative impact of floods in the region.

‘As a devolved government in collaboration with the national government and other stakeholders we have begun adequate preparations to avert any possible flooding,’ she said.

She added that they have also begun to create awareness about the dangers of flooding and al
erted people living along riversides and lowland areas to relocate to safer elevated areas.

The governor said the Kenya Meteorological Department has predicted flooding in some areas of the coastal region during the current long rains season.

She said recently the weatherman forecasted heavy rains with potential flooding expected in Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi counties in the month of May.

‘We are glad as a county since we have not yet experienced any floods or people being affected by it as seen in other parts of the country which has claimed the lives of over 170 people countrywide, and 72 who are yet to be located as a result of the floods, however as a county we have to take precautions,’ she said.

She says the county has identified areas such as Vanga, Majoreni, Jego and Kiwegu in Lungalunga Sub County as among the worst flood prone areas.

‘When it rains in Usambara areas in the neighbouring country of Tanzania, Umba River usually breaks its banks leading to flooding across Lungalunga Sub County and t
herefore we are calling on the border residents to vacate immediately they notice any signs of floods in order to avoid losses,’ she said.

The Governor also said that areas such as Vumbu which borders two dams that were constructed by Kiskol Sugar Company and the mining firm Base Titanium are also likely to experience floods in case of heavy rains and urged the residents to look for shelter in areas like social halls, churches and mosques.

She said with more rain in the forecast, the safety of Kwale residents was of paramount importance and that the county government had taken proactive measures to avert any untoward incident.

The Governor warned residents against blocking drainages with refuse in order to prevent flooding and the loss of lives and properties.

She called on urban residents living close to major gutters and storm drains, culverts and bridges to move away to safeguard lives and properties.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Cooperative societies need to seek joint ventures and strategic alliances to inspire more growth, a national cooperative leadership forum was told.

During a national cooperative leadership forum to discuss leadership, ethics and governance the cooperative leadership heard that the cooperative movement in Kenya has registered impressive growth over the years owing to implementation of an integrated and fast tracking of business opportunities.

Cooperative Insurance Company (CIC) chairman Nelson Kuria argued that leadership in the movement has contributed to the remarkable development of the movement and observance of good governance practices.

‘Since the laying of the foundation of the movement in early sixties by our forefathers, the cooperative societies have registered notable development both in terms of deposits, membership and influencing growth in other sectors’ ‘, he said .

He however noted that despite the movement being the key to help unlock the great opportunities that exist within the nation,
counties and at individual level, they need to move a notch higher in terms of good leadership and ethics.

‘Everything rises and falls on leadership since they are stewards and pioneers who build the co-op movement to become one that is renowned globally at number 7 globally and number 1 in Africa’, he noted .

Kuria continued to say ‘Cooperatives have demonstrated their capacity to unleash the potential that lies underneath, when people put their act together and work together, they get is better’.

He stated that there are still challenges despite the strides and inspiring growth made saying that it is time to speak the truth, bite the bullet and speak candidly on matters of leadership which has to involve integrity.

The movement, Kuria pointed out, is grappling with numerous challenges and thus frustrating the desire to realize high potential. For example, bad governance coupled with malpractices of members’ resources is still a big challenge to the cooperative movement leadership.

Other challenges incl
ude cyber security, low uptake of technology, low participation of youth and women, demographics of membership and debt accumulation. There is high demand for transparency, equity and fairness and regulation, Kuria said .

‘Majority of the movement is good but there are a few individuals that we are not calling out even as they continue to make our brand dirty . It is time to call them out’, Kuria said.

The CIC chairman emphasized on the need for leaders to call out others who are not towing to the line saying ‘ it is not us. It is about the greater majority of the people. And when we do not do it, we fail the greater majority of the people and therefore are equally culpable of the mistakes of those few as long as we don’t speak’.

Daniel Marube, CEO Cooperative Alliance of Kenya (CAK) said they want to put a foundation on future cooperatives saying that although the movement has done well in the past it is not sufficient.

He mentioned that in spite of the rising cost of living in this country, there has be
en growth in savings, which means that cooperators have continued to sacrifice and deny themselves of some luxuries within their lifestyle to continue maintaining the savings.

Looking forward, he added that considering 65 percent of our cooperative members are maturing and another youth population is below 35 percent , leaders are thinking ahead to be able to bring the youth on board leadership and also to participate in wealth creation within the cooperative business model.

‘Leadership has been accused of having old people. we want the young people to come in , and as leaders we want to create and initiate a mentorship programme for every Sacco to within cooperative movement that will bring in new young people to have a continuous flow of leadership not only for today but 50 years to come’, Marube said

David Mategwa , Chairman of Kenya Police Sacco said that tapping the youth to be on board will require Sacco’s to go digital .

‘Sacco’s need to digitize their services. We need to make sure that our servi
ces and business is driven by technology’, he said, noting that as police Sacco , they continue to invest through providing a budget for technology as it keeps on changing .

Tindi Sitati, representing Worker Cooperative that is mostly of the youth called upon cooperative leaders movement to engage the worker cooperative model, get to learn about it , understand how it does their work and open doors for them as they are sourcing for work in their saccos.

Worker cooperative are businesses that are owned, controlled, managed by the members who are also workers. Most of them are notably in the jua kali sectors namely technicians, messengers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, painters, steel fixers among others.

‘We want to call upon you leaders in the cooperative movement to engage with the worker cooperative model, we are going to be able to provide this work or employment opportunities for these groups of people who are the youth ‘, she added

According to the International Labour Organization, the global
youth unemployment rate stands at 13 percent, and this is three times the unemployment rate for adults. In Kenya, according to the Federation of Kenya Employers, 67 percent of youth in Kenya are unemployed, and this is 35 percent of the total population that we have in Kenya and these statistics should essentially be very worrying to the cooperatives movement because we would wish to provide a solution to the youth with regards to employment. Sitati said

George Okari from FundiTech a member of the worker cooperative gave an example of about 2.4 million young people in the building and construction space who are looking at how to put a whole team, be able to start from the foundation to the end and make sure they are engaged in the construction industry in a more organized way , be given the jobs and be able to form Saccos

Source: Kenya News Agency

Coast journalists have been urged to leverage diverse media channels to educate their audiences to tackle the vagaries of climate change.

Kenya Correspondents Association (KCA) Coast Region Chairman Omar Shungu says Journalists should be the champion of environmental conservation measures.

The World today commemorates World Press Freedom Day under the theme: ‘A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis.’

Shungu noted that the environmental crisis facing the world is a great challenge that must be addressed by all and should not be left to the government and environmentalists alone.

‘As journalists, we must shine a light on the urgent issues facing our environment, from climate change and deforestation to pollution and biodiversity loss,’ Shungu said during a sensitization forum with Journalists.

He challenged journalists to come up with write-ups on environmental stories that focus on marine ecosystems to preserve aquatic lives from extinction.

‘Our work serves as a vital
conduit for raising awareness, holding governments and corporations accountable, and empowering communities to take action,’ he said, adding, that journalists play a pivotal role in the dissemination of information to the public.

The Chairman affirmed his commitment to ensuring journalists get training on climate change reporting.

‘We recognize the importance of accurate, evidence-based reporting in shaping public discourse and driving policy decisions that safeguard our planet for future generations,’ said the KCA Chairman.

‘Despite facing threats, intimidation, and censorship, journalists in Coast remain steadfast in their pursuit of truth and accountability. We stand in solidarity with our colleagues around the world who risk their lives to report on environmental issues in the face of adversity,’ he added.

He further urged the government, corporations and civil societies to support and protect journalists who are at the forefront of environmental reporting.

Shungu called for concerted efforts to harn
ess the power of the media to address environmental degradation to build a sustainable future.

‘On this World Press Freedom Day, let us recommit ourselves to the principles of a free and independent press, and let us harness the power of journalism to protect our planet for generations to come,’ said Shungu.

Source: Kenya News Agency