Homa Bay has taken a step forward in cancer management after signing a deal with Aga Khan Hospital to establish a specialist centre.

The county has not been attending to cancer patients due to lack of capacity. All patients must seek care in hospitals in Eldoret or Nairobi.

Governor Gladys Wanga said challenges that cancer patients face make the disease affect more people.

“The establishment of a cancer care centre is a great milestone in Homa Bay. What kills patients with cancer is the worry of where they will get services and the cost of management,” Wanga said.

Wanga said the situation will change after the Aga Khan Hospital in Kisumu signed a Memorandum of Understanding with them to establish the centre.

Wanga said establishment of a cancer centre will be one of her legacies. The centre will be located at Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital.

“We will put our best foot forward in ensuring we prevent the disease from affecting our people because prevention is better than cure,” the governor said.

The cancer centre will be started through a project called East Africa Comprehensive Cancer Project (EA-CCP).

The project is funded by the Agence Française de Development (AFD) and the Gates Foundation for a period of four years until March 2029.

Speaking after the signing of the deal at the county headquarters in Homa Bay town on Wednesday, Aga Khan Hospital  Kisumu CEO Jane Wanyama said EA-CCP will benefit 88,900 women screened for breast and cervical cancers.

This will also see some 1.2 million nine-year-old girls vaccinated with HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.

“We’re working collaboratively with the Homa Bay government for service provision. Health workers will be provided with skills and knowledge about cancer through improved training in this region,” Wanyama said.

She said awareness will also be conducted and will focus on having people speak about the disease.

It estimated that these campaigns will directly reach over 1.8 million people in the lake region economic bloc.

“Tackling the issue requires a multifaceted approach that focuses on raising awareness.  We want to improve access to screening services and foster community engagement,” she said.

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