County Governments have been challenged to acquire the latest cancer screening machines which can detect cancer cells during stage one or two so as to control the deadly disease.
Kenyan, US based Zaccius Rop, a doctor by profession opines that cancer can be treated if screening is done early enough and this can be achieved if the County Governments acquire the best CT-scan machines which reads cancer cells at the early stages.
He said the government employed health community promoters should be empowered to encourage people to prioritise screening which will only succeed if the County Referral Hospitals get the advanced cancer screening detectors.
Rop regretted that many cancer patients lose the fight because it is normally detected both in stage three or four which has limited chance for survival and also it is very expensive to treat.
“Our Health Care Promoters should be empowered to promote cancer screening in every home and also can tell us how people have tested for early interventions,” Rop said.
He regretted patients have to travel all the way to Nairobi to acquire the best CT-scan and yet it is possible for County Governments to acquire their own machines.
“I plead with our County Government to buy her own cancer CT-scan at Kapsabet Referral Hospital. If we are to combat cancer in our county we must have our best screening machine,” he emphasised.
Rop, however, appealed to the local leaders, churches and even National Government Administrative officers to prioritize cancer screening campaigns while meeting the locals.
He said leaders should not shy from speaking about cancer because it is one of the top killer diseases but can be treated if necessary measures are followed during early stages.
“Many cancer patients are turning to the hospitals when cancer cells have overwhelmed their immune systems without their knowledge. Having advanced cancer detection machines at county levels combined with promotion of early screening guided by Community Health Promoters will help greatly combat cancer disease,” he said.
By Geoffrey Satia
