Cervical Cancer survivor shares journey to raise awareness

JANE NAITORE AND MERCY OSONGO -KNA

Fortune Moraa is a cervical cancer survivor of four years since it was diagnosed. Moraa aged 49 years and a mother of three says she was not aware of the disease until she started experiencing unusual vaginal bleeding, abnormal discharge and pelvic pain, which forced her to visit a cancer centre in Nairobi after being referred from a Level Four hospital in her home county, Kisii.

Moraa is not alone, with 45,000 new cancer cases being diagnosed in Kenya every year, many people ignore the initial signs of the disease assuming they are normal body discomforts.

The mother of three explains that she had not experienced any signs before she started the vaginal bleeding which caused her panic and made her seek medical attention.

According to the Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr. Ouma Oluga, cervical cancer is slow-growing and can exist without symptoms for between 10 to 20 years after the initial human papillomavirus infection.

Dr. Oluga says that over 45,000 people are also diagnosed with various forms of cancer in Kenya annually and at least 29,000 deaths are reported within the same period.

In order to help people like Moraa who have to travel long distances to Nairobi for treatment, Dr. Oluga says the government is fast-tracking completion of a new regional cancer centre in Kisii and upgrading the existing ones in Mombasa, Nakuru and Garissa to regional comprehensive management centres to bring the services close to the people.

Dr. Oluga notes there are six fully-fledged cancer centres in the country including Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, HCG Cancer Centre, Texas Cancer Centre and the Aga Khan University Hospital.

“However, the cost of travelling to the few facilities that offer comprehensive cancer care adds to the burden of treatment which overwhelms the patients, hence the need to fast-track the completion of on-going additional projects like the Kisii facility,” says Dr. Oluga.

The government, he adds, has also entered into Memoranda of Understanding with pharmaceutical companies to reduce the cost of cancer medicine for over 100,000 Kenyans currently undergoing treatment in the country.

Moraa applauds the construction of the Kisii centre saying she spends at least Sh 5000 transport cost to and from Nairobi for one chemotherapy session at a cost of Sh 15,000 per session, with SHA catering for a portion of the cost.

“Sometimes, I am forced to sleep in the cold due to long queues witnessed at the health facility which makes it difficult to travel back on the same day,” Moraa says.

Under the new Social Health Authority (SHA) guidelines effective from late 2024 and updated through 2025-2026, the cost of chemotherapy is capped at Sh 5000 per session while radiotherapy is set at a standard tariff of Sh 3600 per session.

Similarly, data from the Ministry of Health 2025 on the cost of cancer treatment shows that a combination of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery can cost an average of over Sh 333,000 for a year, with some specialized treatments exceeding Sh 3 million.

Dr. Oluga notes the completion of the Kisii facility by the end of this year will go a long way in reducing the burden of treatment for cervical, breast, colorectal and oesophageal cancer, which are the most common in the country.

Broadcasting and Telecommunications PS Stephen Isaboke in the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy says the government in its endeavour to strengthen specialised healthcare services and improve the quality of life for wananchi, was leveraging technology in cancer treatment to improve patient survival rates, enhance diagnostic precision and make care more personalized and accessible.

PS Isaboke notes the Kisii facility will be equipped with modern technology for not only treatment, but also research and training that will support Western Kenya and neighbouring regions.

“The Kisii Cancer Centre and others being upgraded reflects a whole-of-government approach to delivering universal health coverage,” says Isaboke.

A representative of the King’s College London and Kenya-UK Health Alliance Professor Graham Lord underscores the importance of delivering comprehensive cancer care and research closer to the grassroots, which is the sole mandate of the partnership.

Prof. Lord expresses optimism that the Kisii centre will deliver the care and research required through a highly-skilled workforce after its completion.

Kisii Deputy Governor Elijah Obebo notes that decentralizing the cancer care to the community settings is crucial for reducing mortality rates, improving accessibility and reducing the heavy financial and emotional burden on patients.

Obebo adds that many cancer deaths occur often due to late diagnosis and limited access to care. The Kisii Cancer Centre construction is being undertaken by Kiu Construction Limited at approximately Sh4 billion.

The project is of interest to the communities in the region because its completion is one of the promises made by President William Ruto during one of his recent visits to the region.