On Friday, May 19, Gertrude Hospital Foundation informed the public of planned traffic disruptions on several routes within the city.
In a notice, Gertrude Hospital, which specialises in children's medication, informed motorists that traffic would be disrupted on Sunday, May 21, for six hours, starting from 7:00 am to 12:00 pm.
The scheduled traffic disruption is due to the annual Gertrude's family cancer walk 2023 at Uhuru Gardens.
Due to the walk, traffic would be disrupted along Southern Bypass, Langata Road, Bunyala Road and Lower Hill Road, where the procession will occur.
Other routes set to be affected include Elgon Road, Hospital Road, Upper Hill Links Road and Mbagathi Way.
The hospital, however, assured motorists that law enforcement officers would be deployed on the earmarked routes to help control traffic.
"Motorists are advised to use alternative routes to avoid any inconveniences. Traffic police will be on site to enable smooth traffic flow," the notice indicated.
Gertrude's Family Cancer Walk is an annual event that raises funds for Gertrude's Children's Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. They open the walk to all ages, where participants walk 3 or 6 kilometres.
It enables different schools and people to support children battling various illnesses, with cancer being the major.
The hospital maintained that funds raised would be critical in addressing illnesses affecting children from low-income households.
"Thousands of children are battling cancer in this country each year. For many of them, diagnosis and treatment is out of reach. The number of new cases is rising alarmingly, especially considering that many people including health workers may not recognise the symptoms or access early diagnosis and treatment," Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital CEO Robert Nyarango stated.
"While 80 per cent of childhood cancers are treatable, only 1 out of 10 children are cured of cancer in Kenya," he added.
According to Kenya Cancer Association, about 2,500 children in Kenya are diagnosed with cancer yearly. The most common types of childhood cancer in Kenya are leukaemia, lymphoma, and brain tumours.
But the Ministry of Health, led by Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, promised to launch strategies to address illnesses affecting children from low-income households.
