Cancer patients to benefit from dedicated therapy in Mombasa

The first of its kind dedicated cancer centre, located within a public hospital, the centre seeks to address increasing demand for oncology services with specialised clinical care and therapy, necessary for patient recovery.”Our investment in infrastructure looks to address the delays of reaching, seeking and receiving health care, enabling Kenyans access health care when they need it, with dignity. Beyond availing clinical efficiency to patients with this additional space, it will also help reduce turn-around time given the huge numbers that visit this facility seeking treatment” said Celestine Munda, Trustee, M-Pesa Foundation.Statistics in Kenya show that at least 80% of cancer patients lack access to comprehensive care with only a paltry 20% receiving sufficient care to manage the disease, against a backdrop of 48,000 cases diagnosed annually.The Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) is the only public facility at the coast, offering oncology services to over 3,000 patients monthly. The Kes 63 million two-storey Faraja Cancer Therapy Centre will boost the facility’s capacity to offer support beyond clinical care with counselling rooms for children and individual patients, family therapy rooms and other social amenities to support patients and their caregivers.”Beyond its impact on health, Cancer affects the whole person. Their emotional wellbeing, families, livelihoods and their ability to cope, making it an incredibly difficult journey. Faraja was created to provide complementary support such as counselling, nutritional advice, physical therapy as well as financial assistance for patients who are struggling to access treatment, easing the challenges that cancer brings” said Shaira Adamali, Founding Trustee, Faraja Cancer Support Trust.The Faraja Cancer support trust works alongside the healthcare system, complementing clinical work through supportive care needs that often fall outside routine medical treatment. For 16 years now, the centre has supported patients from all over the country for services in Nairobi. The operationalization of this new facility will help ease this logistical burden, reaching thousands more patients and their families with much-needed supportive care.The M-Pesa Foundation has invested KES 208 million in health projects in Mombasa County with upgrades in facilities such as Likoni Sub-County, Mbungoni Health Centre, Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital and Railways Dispensary.