State rolls out Afya Dada to scale up fight against cancer in Uasin Gishu

The Ministry of Health has stepped up awareness campaigns against breast and cervical cancer in Uasin Gishu County, in a drive that blends prevention with stronger community engagement.

The effort, rolled out under the Afya Dada Project, brings together the county government, the National Cancer Control Programme and key partners including the Global Alliance for Women’s Health (Gawn). The project is expected to extend to Machakos County.

According to Betty Chirchir, director for nursing services, the initiative is designed to boost prevention and early detection by raising awareness, reducing stigma, improving access to screening and treatment, and equipping frontline health workers with the skills they need.

Speaking during a training session, she said the heart of the campaign lies in “raising community awareness, empowering community health promoters and strengthening the health workforce”.

Chirchir said the project will also focus on expanding access to services, improving care pathways, tracking progress and sustaining cancer care within the health system.

Reproductive health coordinator Samson Mely, who presented an overview of the National Cancer Control Strategy 2023–27, outlined its five pillars. They are prevention and early detection; imaging, pathology and laboratory services; treatment, palliative and survivorship care; advocacy, partnerships, coordination and financing; and strategic information, research and surveillance.

Chirchir said Afya Dada aligns with these national priorities, describing it as a “critical step in reducing the burden of women’s cancers in Kenya through data-driven, community-based interventions".

Meanwhile, Uasin Gishu leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to timely and quality healthcare across the county.

At a high-level meeting with managers of major health facilities on Tuesday, health services executive Joseph Lagat stressed the need for innovative approaches to revenue generation, linking it directly to service delivery.

“We must maximise our revenue streams not just for the sake of numbers, but to ensure our people receive the services they deserve—without delay and without compromise,” Lagat said, urging health service providers to treat their roles as a moral obligation and professional duty.

Finance executive Micah Rogony commended the department’s remarkable leap in revenue collection—from Sh42 million to Sh193 million in just one year—contributing to a 22 per cent growth in the county’s own-source revenue. He cited a National Treasury study that estimates the health sector in Uasin Gishu could generate up to Sh593 million annually.

“The opportunity is massive, and we must seize it,” Rogony said, adding that aligning local efforts with the President’s Universal Health Coverage agenda will be vital in ensuring drug availability, quality services and the activation of the Social Health Authority across all facilities.