Meeting to reduce cancer children deaths underway in Nairobi
Nairobi
By
Mourice Odiwuor
| May 21, 2025
Health CS Aden Duale. April 17, 2025. [Jenipher Wachie, Standard]
A meeting aimed at reducing deaths among children living with cancer is underway in Nairobi.
The two days meeting, convened by St Jude global alliance in collaboration with the local organising committee for sub-Saharan Africa, is discussing how to increase the survival rate in childhood cancer.
The Sub-Saharan Africa Regional meeting heard that currently, the survival rate is at 20 per cent in Kenya for children with cancer.
And this, the meeting heard, should be increased to 60 per cent.
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Speaking during the conference, Dr Joan Paul, a representative from the Ministry of Health, National Cancer Institute, said that the Ministry is including a cancer treatment for children in Social Health Insurance.
Paul also said that the government is creating awareness on early signs of cancer in children and making diagnosis affordable.
The meeting heard that this will be achieved by increasing collaboration with the European Countries and different Organisations to aid in the improvement of health facilities.
The meeting that ends on Wednesday also discussed challenges such as misdiagnosis, lack of awareness, lack of enough doctors and healthcare facilities.
It also discussed the inaccessibility of healthcare facilities and a lack of enough funds to aid the treatment.
Sidney Chahonyo, a Kenyan delegate, urged other countries to partner and collaborate with them to save the lives of the dying generation, adding that children are the future leaders.
He shared his story about healing from cancer during his childhood after undergoing an experience that he wished no kid had to go through.
He added that to meet this, funds are needed, noting the noble role of St Jude global alliance in calling out for partnership and collaboration.
Paul noted that critical to the efforts is the improvement of healthcare facilities, introducing a SHA package for cancer treatment, access to medicine, and policy makers to promote an agenda for fighting cancer.
Carlos Rodriguez, the USA delegate, encouraged the promotion of international collaboration and partnership.
He talked of acute diseases which are a challenge to African Countries due to lack of enough funds to improve health sector. Partnership and pulling together funds are the solution.