Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has apologised to cancer patients affected by the breakdown of the LINAC machine at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
In a statement hours after the delay was reported, Duale stated that his Ministry was pulling its weight to ensure that the machine, crucial for cancer treatments, was replaced as soon as possible.
"We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the breakdown of the LINAC cancer treatment machine at Kenyatta National Hospital. The Ministry is fast-tracking the procurement of a replacement," he stated.
Duale's statement came moments after KNH confirmed that the Linear Accelerator (LINAC) Elekta machine had experienced an unexpected technical failure and was thus out of service.
KNH revealed that the hospital had immediately activated referral protocols to prioritise and safeguard patients' care, highlighting the critical importance of uninterrupted oncology services.
However, for some bit of good news, the Level Six hospital announced that another cancer treatment machine, the Cobalt Radiotherapy Machine, which had previously broken down, was up and running.
"KNH is also pleased to inform the public that the Cobalt radiotherapy machine, which had previously broken down, has now been fully restored and is operational," the hospital's Chief Executive Officer, Dr William Sigilai, stated.
"In the meantime, the procurement process for a replacement LINAC machine is being fast-tracked through the appropriate tendering procedures to restore full oncology services at the earliest possible time."
On Wednesday, May 28, reports broke that hundreds of cancer patients had been left stranded at the hospital, and others sent home without treatment, despite the hospital stating that it had embarked on making referrals for the patients.
Patients who spoke to journalists claimed that the hospital had repeatedly sent them home despite their painful conditions without giving them an alternative except to present themselves at the hospital the following day.
''I am suffering from stage four cervical cancer, and I have been told to go home and come back on Tuesday because the machine has broken down,'' one patient told journalists.
Another one stated that she had been blatantly denied a referral letter despite asking, stating, ''I asked them to issue me with a transfer letter to allow me to travel to Texas since the machine is not working. However, the doctor refused to issue the letter, directing us to come back today, saying that the machine would be functional, but that's not the case."
