Integrating technology into cancer care will help improve outcomes for patients, stakeholders in the health sector have said.

The government is already leveraging new technological innovations in managing the disease as it seeks to strengthen cancer care and reduce its high burden, said National Cancer Institute of Kenya CEO Dr Elias Melly.

“We are keen to leverage a lot of technologies to ensure that we are at par with the developed countries that have successfully managed to address this disease,” he said during a four-day international cancer conference that concluded in Kisumu city at the weekend.

“To succeed in this endeavour, it has become imperative that the government embraces partnerships bringing everyone on board.”

Digital platform

In Kisumu, the local administration has unveiled a digital platform that will help streamline cancer management, Governor Anyang Nyong’o said.

The Kisumu County Cancer Epidemiology Dashboard, developed at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, will help the county manage the disease.

“This dashboard represents not just technological advancement, but also the spirit of local and global collaboration and dedication that defines Kisumu county. I

congratulate all the specialists who were involved in making it a reality,” Nyong’o said.

Kenya continues to record a significant increase in cancer cases, Melly said, with new statistics showing more than 44,000 new cases every year and more than 29,000 (55 percent) deaths.

“The latest indicators paint a worrying trend and this is a serious concern to everyone, those either directly or indirectly affected,” he said.

Prevention initiatives

To reverse the trend, he said, the agency is riding on a multisectoral approach, involving health partners, government agencies and the citizens.

In the programme, he said the government is implementing prevention initiatives such as enhanced screening to enable early and proper diagnosis of the disease to reduce its burden.

“We seek to change these statistics through collaborative approaches with partners and Kenyans of goodwill. We would want to look at the entire country free from cancer … in future,” he said.

While decrying the high cost of cancer management and treatment in Kenya, Melly said the new health insurance scheme under the Social Health Authority would come in handy for cancer patients.

As the third leading cause of death in Kenya, cancer is a major public health concern, placing a great burden on families, communities and the health system.