Members of the County Assembly of Nyeri have approved a motion urging the County Executive Committee Member in charge of Health Services to establish a fully functional Cancer Centre in Nyeri County that provides affordable, comprehensive and holistic Cancer Prevention and Treatment Plans.
While moving the motion, before it adjourned its plenary sittings for a long recess of up to Tuesday, 11th June 2024 at 9.00am in accordance with the assembly’s standing Orders, a member of the County Assembly Agnes Wanjiku was concerned that the prevalence of Cancer in Nyeri County has been on an upward trend, with the Ministry of Health reporting that cancer incidence in the year 2020 stood at 2,127 for every 100,000 people.
The Member who is also the Gender Representative, underscored the need for the County Government to establish a County Cancer Control Program aimed at reducing cancer incidence rates and cancer mortality through prevention and early detection as well as improve the quality of life of cancer patients through provision of treatment and palliative services among others.
In a sitting chaired by the County Speaker James Gichuhi, the House resolved that the CEC in charge of Health Services Dr.Joseph Kiragu conducts educational and information campaigns on cancer prevention, treatment and control as prescribed in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute of Kenya and other relevant Public and Private Organizations.
The Members also called upon the Department to Forge effective partnerships with relevant Public, Private and Non-Profit Organizations and mobilize resources in order to facilitate a comprehensive County Cancer Prevention and Treatment Program.
By Beth Ndirangu
