Written by Lisa Murimi
In a powerful call to action, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has ordered national referral hospitals, the Social Health Authority (SHA), and the Digital Health Authority (DHA) to forge formal partnerships with Centres of Excellence in cancer care, offering a ray of hope to thousands of cancer patients across Kenya.
This directive comes in the wake of heartbreak at Kenyatta National Hospital, where the country’s only Linear Accelerator (LINAC) Elekta machine—vital for radiotherapy—broke down, leaving hundreds of patients stranded and uncertain about their next step in the fight against cancer.
In response, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued a rallying call for change. While speaking at the launch of the state-of-the-art Cyclotron 11 MeV machine at Nairobi West Hospital, Duale highlighted the urgency of collaborative action.
The new machine, capable of producing radioisotopes for early cancer detection, symbolizes a turning point in Kenya’s battle against a disease that claims nearly 30,000 lives every year.
The Cyclotron machine produces Fluorine-18, a critical component in PET scans used to detect cancer in its earliest stages—often the difference between life and death.
For the families waiting in hospital corridors, for the patients counting every moment, this directive is more than policy—it is a lifeline.
Duale urged immediate strategic collaboration, resource-sharing, and robust public-private partnerships to ensure no patient is left behind, regardless of income or geography.
He emphasized that Kenya can become a regional leader in medical excellence and tourism—but only if the healthcare system is unified, digitally transformed, and rooted in compassion.
“There is an importance of strategic collaboration, resource-sharing, and digital transformation in making Kenya a regional hub for health excellence and medical tourism,” said Duale.
