Nyeri: Nyeri residents will benefit from free esophageal cancer screening for the next 30 days following a collaboration between the County Department of Health and Kenyatta University Teaching Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH). The initiative involves a mobile endoscopy tower truck equipped with an endoscopy machine and cancer specialists to conduct diagnostic procedures for the residents.
According to Kenya News Agency, the free screening project is part of an ongoing esophageal cancer study in Nyeri County. This study is a joint effort by KUTRRH, the University of Manchester, the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, National Cancer Institute, and Kenya Medical Research Institute. Dr. Zeinab Gura, acting CEO of KUTRRH, emphasized that the study aims to form the basis for new management approaches for the disease and raise awareness about the significance of early detection and diagnosis in improving cancer treatment outcomes.
The mobile endoscopy truck, inaugurated by Nyeri County Governor Dr. Mutahi Kahiga and Dr. Gura, will cover areas such as Othaya, Mukurwe-ini, Karatina, Naru Moru, and Mweiga. It will be stationed at Level III and Level IV facilities, providing free screenings that eliminate the need for residents to travel to the County Referral Hospital, the only facility with an endoscopy machine.
Dr. Kahiga praised the partnership, highlighting its role in enhancing early cancer diagnosis. He pointed out that the study will help the County Department of Health update its cancer prevalence data and guide treatment decisions. He also expressed concern over men’s reluctance to seek health services, urging residents to utilize the free screening to reduce the burden of advanced-stage cancer treatment.
A 2022 report by the Ministry of Health identified Nyeri, Murang’a, Kirinyaga, and Embu counties as having the highest cancer burden in Kenya. Internal research by the County Health Department revealed cancer as the leading cause of illness and death in Nyeri, with breast cancer most prevalent among women aged 35 to 54, and esophageal and prostate cancers also significant. The report noted at least 55 new cancer cases monthly at the County Referral Hospital and 600 cases handled by the chemotherapy center.
Dr. Gura and Dr. Kahiga both emphasized the importance of community awareness and capacity building for health workers to ensure effective outreach and early treatment. Dr. Kahiga expressed hope that the mobile clinic would lead to increased screening, particularly among men, and address the issue of late-stage cancer diagnoses.