By Oluwafunke Ishola



A biopharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca, and partners have unveiled the Cancer Care Africa programme in Kenya to bridge critical gaps in cancer care from diagnosis to treatment.



Asa Skiti, Head of Communications – African Cluster, AstraZeneca, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.



Skiti said the collaboration was with the Ministry of Health, The Kenya Society of Haematology and Oncology (KESHO), Axios, the National Cancer Institute of Kenya (NCI), and other partners.



She noted that cancer had become a major public health concern in Kenya and across Africa.



Skiti cited the World Health Organisation (WHO) data which showed that 44,726 cancer cases and 29,317 cancer deaths were recorded in Kenya in 2022.



She added that this was set against a regional context that estimates 2.1 million new cases and 1.4 million deaths annually by 2040 across Africa.



“Despite recent increases in resources invested in cancer, several critical barriers still hinder progress including a lack of disease awareness, limited diagnostic capabilities, an absence of structured screening programmes, and challenges in accessing treatment,” she said.



To tackle these barriers, Skiti noted that each country they work with develops initiatives across four pillars of action – building capacity and capabilities; enhancing screening and diagnostics; empowering patients, and enabling access to medicines.



“We are committed to supporting more than 100 oncology centres and providing training for more than 10,000 healthcare professionals to improve quality of care delivered to patients across the continent.



“We will enhance screening and diagnostics provision for one million people across lung, breast and prostate cancer, to improve patient outcomes and reduce health system burden through early approaches.



“We will ensure we address the real needs of patients through engagement with local PAGs to support increased disease awareness and informed patient decision-making.



“We will enhance the availability of critical cancer medicines by introducing flexible models that can provide access to our innovative treatments,” she said.



According to her, ahead of the launch, Cancer Care Africa (CCA) donated ultrasound biopsy machines to seven hospitals in Kenya to enhance early prostate cancer diagnosis.



She said CCA also donated the country’s first biomarker testing machine for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations to Aga Khan University Hospital.



Cabinet Secretary for Health, Kenya, Mr Nakhumicha Wafula, said, “The launch of the Cancer Care Africa programme in Kenya is a significant step towards improving cancer care for all.



“This collaborative initiative has the potential to significantly improve access to diagnosis, treatment, and care, ultimately saving lives and improving the well-being of Kenyans impacted by this disease, as well as their families and communities.”



Also, Dave Fredrickson, Executive Vice-President, Oncology Business Unit, AstraZeneca, said, “With an increasing number of patients being diagnosed with cancer in Kenya and across Africa in the coming decades, joint action to improve patient outcomes and safeguard health care systems for the future has never been more important.



“The Cancer Care Africa programme will support early detection, increase timely diagnosis, and improve access to treatment options for patients across Kenya.”



The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Cancer Care Africa launched in November 2002 at COP27 in Egypt, is aiding countries across the continent to fight against cancer by advocating policy changes to enhance screening and diagnostics, implementing health awareness and education programmes to empower patients.



It also trains physicians and healthcare workers and builds their capacities, and strives to enable access to cancer medicines.



With these pillars, Cancer Care Africa strives to improve outcomes for all individuals affected by the disease, irrespective of their demographic, geographic, or socio-economic status.



CCA is part of Accelerating Change Together (ACT) for Cancer Care, a global, AstraZeneca-led effort to revolutionise the way cancer is diagnosed and treated to drive equitable improvement in patient outcomes and greater resilience in healthcare systems.

(NAN)