Uhuru’s word on c****r menace amid pressure to declare it a national disaster

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday assured Kenyans that the government will step up interventions aimed at containing the growing cases of cancer-related deaths in the country.

Speaking when he chaired the Cabinet meeting Thursday afternoon at State House Nairobi, President Kenyatta said the government, working with partners, is putting in place measures including policy interventions that will help ease the burden of the cancer disease on Kenyans.

“We need to see what more we can do to assist both in prevention but also in treatment of the disease. And we need to do that as a Government together with the county governments,” President Kenyatta said.

“This is an issue that we need to take more seriously and galvanize all of us to come up with a solution both in preventive –which is most important – but also in helping fellow Kenyans to get treatment, and get it early for those already affected by the disease,” the Head of State added.

The President, who led the Cabinet in a moment of silence in honour of the late Bomet Governor Dr Joyce Laboso and the late Kibra MP Ken Okoth, both of whom succumbed to cancer recently, acknowledged that cancer is fast becoming a crisis that needs urgent action.

The president’s statement comes amid growing pressure by a section of MPs, who want the Head of State to declare cancer a national disaster.

Health Cabinet Secretary, Sicily Kariuki, on Thursday said despite the piling pressure, the government will not declare cancer a national disaster.

The health CS says at this time, the available data is still insufficient to provide solid scientific evidence.

“Although Cancer and other non-communicable diseases have continued to be an issue of great public health concern in Kenya, there has to be sufficient data built over time that is scientific, solid and comprehensive enough to back the declaration,” said Kariuki.

Cancer is the third leading cause of death contributing to 7 percent of deaths after cardiovascular diseases. Infectious illnesses lead in the death rate in the country accounting for 13 percent.

Speaking on Monday evening during the inauguration of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of Kenya board of trustees at Afya House, Kariuki said that in Kenya today, 47, 887 new cases of cancer are detected and 32, 987 people die each year.

She further added that there are 3, 200 new cancer cases among children below 18 years with the five most common cancers in the Country being breast, cervical, esophageal, prostate and colorectal cancer.

-Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)-

President Uhuru Kenyatta, during the Cabinet meeting, also announced that Kenya on Thursday afternoon joined the league of oil exporting countries of the world.

“We are now an oil exporter. Our first deal was concluded this afternoon (August 1) with 200,000 barrels at a price of 12 million US dollars (Ksh1.2 billion). So, I think we have started the journey and it is up to us to ensure that those resources are put to the best use to make our country both prosperous and to ensure we eliminate poverty,” President Kenyatta said.