Ms Nancy Mary Wanjiku, 47 has aggressive ovarian cancer which has spread to her stomach and uterus and desperately needs treatment.
But with the equipment at Kenyatta National Hospital, the only radiotherapy centre in public hospitals broken down from overuse for five days now, her life is in danger.
Of course treatment is available in three private hospitals, but it costs Sh10,000 a session, which she cannot afford.
Ms Wanjiku, of Gikambura village, Kikuyu in Kiambu County, is a casual worker who earns Sh250 a day. It will take her many years of work, years she probably does not have, before she can afford a single session in a private hospital.
She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in November 2013 at the Kiambu Hospital and referred to Kenyatta. Doctors prescribed six sessions of chemotherapy, which would have cost her Sh25,000.
And that was where he troubled began. As a labourer who earns Sh250 per day from tilling people’s land, the amount was beyond her reach.
“I borrowed in church and from friends and managed to pay for two (sessions) and when the money ran out, I stopped going to the hospital,” she told the Nation in interview on Wednesday.
NEEDED RADIOTHERAPY
In February 2014, she experienced backaches and her stomach began swelling.
“I went back to KNH where a scan showed that the cancer was spreading and needed radiotherapy,” she said.
This time round, she needed 25 sessions, each at Sh500.
“I now needed Sh12,500,” said Ms Wanjiku.
She wanted to save the money in a year and return to KNH last month but with her failing health and her meagre income, she only managed to save enough for two sessions, which she had on February 26 and 27.
Because she found it costly to travel back home, Ms Wanjiku made a drastic choice on those two days. She spent the night on a bench in the casualty department of KNH, saving on transport and other costs and ensuring she was on time for her second session.
Her third session was scheduled for March, but by the time she was to go for treatment, the radiotherapy machine had broken down.
“I do not know what to do. I am scared it will get worse if I do not get radiotherapy. I need the other sessions. What will happen to me? If I could afford it I would have gone to a private hospital. But, I can’t.”
Ms Wanjiku has a simple plea to the Health Ministry: Repair the machines.
“I have painful backaches and my stomach is swelling. I need to complete my radiotherapy session. Please repair the machines. Not for me but the others.”
By others, she means the thousands on the waiting list for treatment.
FOUR CENTRES AT SH1BN
The government now says it is setting up four treatment centres across the country at a cost of Sh1 billion each. New radiotherapy equipment for Kenyatta is also reportedly in the country awaiting installation, but it is not expected to be available until May.
The broken down equipment may be back in use at the end of the month. It is not certain what damage the delay will do the patients.
Mr David Makumi, the Vice Chair of the Kenya Cancer Association, said it was unfortunate that treatment of cancer patients who relied solely on KNH was disrupted. He urged the government to work with the private sector more to avoid similar incidents.
“Up to 30 per cent of the time, cancer equipment in private hospitals is not in use,” he said. “A partnership in such times would ensure that the load is lifted from public hospitals.”
Mr Makumi, who is also the Programme Manager of the Oncology Department at the Aga Khan University Hospital, asked the government to re-examine the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) policy which, according to him, classifies cancer treatment such as radiotherapy, as an outpatient service which means it is not covered by the scheme.
Mr Simon Ithae, the KNH spokesperson, shared the same view. He said that unless a radiotherapy patient is admitted, he or she is not covered by NHIF.
However, according to the NHIF Communications and Public Relations manager, Mr Gerald Kainga the fund currently covers outpatient services only for civil servants and members of the disciplined services.
Nation
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