The government has intensified efforts to strengthen cancer prevention, treatment and control through evidence-based research following the launch of the National Cancer Institute of Kenya’s (NCI-K) Institutional Scientific and Ethics Review Committee.
Speaking during the launch, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the committee will play a critical role in ensuring health policies and investments are guided by credible local research rather than assumptions.
“We must get the right scientific and proven evidence so that we do not do guesswork because every decision we make in the health sector affects a patient,” said Duale.
He noted that cancer remains one of Kenya’s biggest public health challenges, with about 80 deaths recorded daily, underscoring the need for stronger research, early diagnosis and preventive interventions.
The CS called for a shift from a health system that largely responds to advanced disease to one that prioritises community awareness, routine screening and early detection.
“We should not wait for patients to present themselves in hospitals. We must undertake diagnostic screening, early detection and community sensitisation so that cancer is identified before it reaches advanced stages,” he said.
Duale challenged the institute to position Kenya as a regional centre of excellence in cancer research and clinical trials, saying the newly accredited ethics committee would provide the oversight needed to support quality research while attracting international collaborations.
He further urged the institute’s leadership to treat staff fairly and foster professionalism, noting that motivated employees are key to delivering quality healthcare services.
“The ultimate beneficiary of everything we do is the Kenyan patient,” he said.
National Cancer Institute of Kenya Chief Executive Officer Dr. Elias Melly said the committee marks a significant milestone for the institute, which has not previously had an institutional scientific and ethics review committee despite its mandate to coordinate cancer control in the country.
He said the committee will accelerate locally generated research while aligning the institute’s work with the Ministry of Health’s vision of evidence-driven healthcare.
“Our goal is to generate quality evidence that informs policy and improves patient outcomes because the cancer patient remains at the centre of everything we do,” he said.
Head of the National Cancer Registry Gladys Onyango unveiled Kenya’s Cancer Statistics Dashboard, describing it as the country’s first comprehensive hospital-based cancer data platform developed using locally generated information from 79 health facilities.
She said the dashboard recorded more than 14,000 cancer cases in 2024, identifying breast, cervical, oesophageal, prostate and colorectal as the country’s most common cancers.
According to Onyango, the data provides valuable insights into disease patterns by county, age, gender and treatment, enabling policymakers to target interventions more effectively.
“This dashboard is not just charts and figures but evidence that can be used for policy decisions to support the cancer patient,” she said.
She added that while chemotherapy remains the most widely used treatment, recent government investments in radiotherapy infrastructure are expected to improve access to cancer care across the country.
Representing the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), Harriet Kinya presented the institute with its accreditation certificate, saying the ethics committee would safeguard research participants while ensuring scientific integrity and accountability.
She urged committee members to execute their mandate with professionalism, independence and integrity to enhance confidence in biomedical and health research conducted in Kenya.
by Zipporah Odionyi and Lilian Gichohi
