Leaders in Bomet on Friday led by Embomos ward MCA, Robert Sarbai have thanked President Uhuru Kenyatta for directing cancer treatment to start at Longisa referral hospital in September.
He said that the directive came at the right time as many cancer patients were either referred to Kenyatta National hospital in Nairobi or Moi Teaching and Referral hospital in Eldoret.
“The cost of treatment may is expected to reduce with the removal of transport cost if the treatment is made available locally at Longisa hospital as per the president’s directive,” Mr Sarbai said.
The President at Bomet Green Stadium during the memorial service of the late Bomet governor, Dr. Joyce Laboso who succumbed to Cancer, said that Longisa hospital is among the 14 other county hospitals which will start offering radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment for cancer patients.
The President promised that machines and cancer doctors will be sent to all the 12 hospitals since Nyeri and Kisii counties have already started the programme.
Other counties to start cancer treatment, includes Garissa, Mombasa, Kisumu, Machakos, Meru, Nakuru, Trans-Nzoia among others, which will roll out the programme of the national government.
Sarbai appealed to the Health Cabinet Secretary (CS), Ms. Sicily Kariuki to send cancer doctors and oncologists to the region as a matter of priority.
“We expected the ministry of health to send cancer treatment medical staff by this week but so far no specialized doctors have been sent to the hospital and we are only two weeks away to September,” he stated.
Sarbai said that, “since our people are suffering in silence we will be forced to camp at the headquarters of the ministry of health to ensure President Uhuru’s directive is operationalized by September this year,”.
He said issues of health and diseases in general should not be politicized and given lip service since it’s about the lives of Kenyans who they have promised to preserve and protect.
By Joseph Obwocha
