The Rift Valley Breast Cancer Program founder, Rose Nyakiba has noted that there is need to establish cancer information centres in the rural areas to empower people with the knowledge on the detection and management of the disease.
Speaking on Wednesday morning to members of the press, Rose Nyakiba who is also the breast cancer survival said that creating awareness on the disease amongst the rural locals could reduce prolonged and undetected acute cases.
Due to lack of information, Nyakiba said majority of the rural men and women fail to seek proper examination and hence continues to develop into fatal stages.
She also called on the government and other development partners to collaborate and ensure that enough cancer treatment centres are established in all the regions across the country.
Ministry of Public Health, has identified cancer as the third greatest killer disease in the country.
In Kenya, majority of the cancer management facilities are concentrated in Nairobi, with a few private hospitals located in a number of towns across the country.
According to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), 22,000 people succumbed to cancer last year while another 28,000 cases were diagnosed.
In July, President Mwai Kibaki assented to law a Cancer Control Bill 2012 which provides for the free treatment of cancer patients.
According to Nyakiba, the high cost of treating the disease keeps off most patients from seeking procedural treatment.
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