by David Musyoka
NAIROBI, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday launched a cancer treatment center at the Kenyatta National Hospital, the largest referral hospital in Eastern Africa region.
Kenyatta said the cancer center will raise the number of cancer patients treated at the hospital on a daily basis from 120 to 190.
"The equipment we have launched today further reaffirms the government's commitment in the fight against cancer," he said, noting that waiting time for patients will also be reduced from three months to one month.
The Kenyan leader also launched newly installed cancer treatment machines.
Deaths from cancers have been on the increase in the East African region, with 50 Kenyans dying daily from various forms of cancer.
The trend is the same across East Africa, with the main cause being associated with lack of treatment facilities and expertise for treatment, prevention and early detection.
Kenyatta said the government will continue funding the expansion of hospitals to improve handling of cancer cases.
It is estimated that the annual incidence of cancer in Kenya currently stands at 28,000 cases and the annual mortality by the disease at 22,000.
Cancer is now ranked the third cause of death among Kenyans after infectious and cardiovascular diseases. Over 60 percent of those affected by cancer are below the age of 70 years.
