Margaret Kenyatta, Kenya’s First Lady, on Thursday launched a new public-private-partnership initiative to boost screening, treatment and management of breast cancer that kills 2,000 women in the country annually.
Speaking during the launch in Nairobi, Kenyatta, who decried rising cases of breast cancer among women of reproductive age, urged investment in infrastructure, research and personnel to help contain the disease.
“Strong and healthy women are the foundation of families and nations.
“Tragically, breast cancer has shortened the lifespan of our women and girls hence the need to combine efforts and fight the disease,” she said.
She said that Kenya’s ministry of health and British pharmaceutical giant, Roche Industries, are part of the new initiative to revitalise the war against breast cancer.
Kenyatta said the initiative would build on the recently launched national strategy for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in Kenya.
“We are committed to expanding access to prevention and treatment services for women with breast cancer.
“A partnership between government and industry is critical to ensure diagnostic services and medicine are available to patients at an affordable cost,” she said.
She added the African First Ladies have signed a pact to strengthen response to breast cancer in the continent through resource mobilization and community outreach.
In his remark, Markus Gemuend, Head of sub-Saharan Africa Region at Roche Industries, said that industry have a critical role to play to ensure breast cancer patients have access to subsidised treatment and care.
He said that the partnership would ensure that breast cancer patients in Kenya have improved access to life saving medicines and quality care.
Gemuend stated that Kenya is part of Roche Industries Africa strategy launched in 2015 to revitalise the fight against breast cancer in the continent.
According to him the fight will be sustained through public awareness, training of healthcare providers, investment in modern diagnostic equipment and provision of affordable drugs.