Uasin Gishu County Assembly has passed a motion that will make it mandatory for anyone visiting a public health facility in the county to undergo cancer screening.
The county moved to pass the motion after Tarakwa Ward Representative Patrick Bundotich tabled the motion in the county assembly, and made compelling arguments on why the county ought to adopt the motion.
The motion was quickly picked up and seconded by other MCA's in the county, given the severity of the rise in cancer cases in the county and the rest of the country
Bundotich made a plea to the health department in Uasin Gishu County to come up with a policy that will make it mandatory for all patients visiting a health facility, to get cancer screening.
The ward representative argued that early screening will dramatically improve the fight against cancer with statistics showing that it is the third biggest cause of death in the country.
“Most of the patients are diagnosed with hypertension, cancer, and diabetes, which they discover late in stage three or stage four when the disease has progressed,” noted the ward representative.
He went on to add that the county should make the screening compulsory as soon as they enter a health facility. The MCA urged the County to try and make cancer screening in the county free so as to make the proposal more efficient and the service accessible to all.
Cancer screening in the country is very costly, with costs ranging between Ksh9,000 and Ksh25,000 making it almost impossible for most families to access the service anywhere in the country.
Actualizing the idea of free screening for all residents in Uasin Gishu will however prove to be a challenge as the county is expected to face significant financial impediments to afford the feat, for the county that has over 1 million people.
The government has been previously urged by the Uasin Gishu County Governor Jackson Mandago to do away with taxes on cancer drugs and cancer equipment so that all Kenyans are able to afford it
The move by the county may just inspire the National Government to adopt such a stance in the fight against cancer.
