Access to cancer treatment for children in sub-Saharan Africa is set to receive a major boost following the laying of a foundation for children’s cancer hospital in Eldoret.
The facility, the first one in Sub Saharan Africa, will be housed within the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County.
Former World marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe, her daughter Isla Lough and Toby Tanser lay the hospital on Friday, December 24, 2021, following an 80 kilometers charity race that was aimed at helping raise funds for the project.
“This course is dear to my heart because in 2020 I was diagnosed with cancer and a week later, I had been given treatment and here kids are not even able to get treatment when they get cancer,” said Isla Lough, daughter to Paula Radcliffe.
She pointed out that while only 1 out of 10 children die as a result of cancer in developed countries, the statistics are totally different for Sub-Saharan Africa, with only one child out of 10 diagnosed with cancer having a chance to survive.
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It is as a result of these worrying statistics that Isla Lough challenged her mother to look at ways that would help children with cancer in the region.
“My daughter recovering from cancer started explaining to me the odds where it came to cancer treatment and it hit hard. I wanted to do what I can to change things so that I give kids from across the world the same chance to overcome cancer,” explained Paula Radcliffe.
Toby Tanser, who has already steered the setting up of the Shoe4Africa Children’s Hospital at MTRH says treating cancer for children needs special attention – away from the crowded health facilities that are synonymous with most public hospitals in Kenya.
He hopes with the children’s cancer hospital, it will improve access to treatment for many children suffering from chronic disease.
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Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr. Wilson Aruasa welcomed the new initiative he said would add an extra 250 beds at the hospital.
MTRH is ranked the second biggest referral hospital in the country, after the Kenyatta National Hospital.
“In one or two years, we are going to have 1,500 beds for adults and children combined,” said Dr. Aruasa.
Currently, MTRH has a 1,200-bed capacity, while the children’s cancer hospital is projected to have at least 152 beds.
