The County Government of Taita Taveta has raised concerns after it reported that a least 30 new cancer cases are reported monthly.
The County Health Department said that cases of cervical cancer are high.
County Health officers said the revelations are as a result of programs and services put in place to increase screening of the locals at the Moi county referral hospital in Voi.
Muriel Kinyanga, in charge of cancer hospice at the Moi Hospital led the Counties First Ladies Association in partnership with Roche, Women 4 Cancer and Africa Cancer Foundation on a fact finding mission.
Governor Granton Samboja’s wife Stela Samboja who is also the secretary of the association hosted the association’s chairperson Nazi Kivutha of Makueni and Dorothy Nyong’o from Kisumu.
They pledged to support the fight against cancer through implementation of an Enabling and Motivating Partnership Owned by Women to Engage and Reclaim their lives (EMPOWER).
Mrs. Samboja noted that there is need for increased awareness about cancer through frequent screening at the grassroots through outreach programmes.
“My office will partner with the county government and other stakeholders to ensure cancer screening and awareness is done at the villages to prevent and diagnose the disease in the early stages. Cancer can be prevented and is curable once detected early,” she said during a courtesy call at the governor’s office in Wundanyi.
Mrs. Kibwana added that there is need to strengthen the health care systems to successfully fight the scourge.
“Cancer is not a death sentence. Every life matters. We need to come together and fiercely fight this disease,” she said.
Governor Granton Samboja directed the department of health services to conduct frequent screening to detect the disease at an early stage.
“We also need to create awareness to our people and educate them on living a healthy lifestyle. This disease can be prevented,” he added.
Samboja challenged county residents to enroll in NHIF to cater for their medical expenses.
CEC Daniel Makoko said that his office will work with the partners in capacity building.
“One of our doctors is undertaking oncology studies and this is a step towards the fight against cancer. Our people will soon have a doctor at the facility who will attend to them on a daily basis unlike now when we depend on a doctor who comes from Nairobi twice a month,” Makoko said.