Cancer patients in Kenya are appealing to the government for intervention due to severe emotional and financial distress caused by delays and high costs under the new Social Health Authority (SHA). Representatives from the Kenya Network of Cancer Organisations (KENCO) highlighted these challenges before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health.

• KENCO director Phoebe Ongadi stated that the SHA has intensified emotional distress, with patients facing uncertainty over claim approvals and payment deadlines.
• Patients are reportedly forced to travel to Nairobi for basic clarifications due to confusion within the system.
• KENCO called for flexible payment options, arguing that annual premiums paid in one go are impractical, especially for patients in the informal sector.
• Concerns were also raised about the underfunded Primary Health Care Fund and the Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund (ECCIF), despite rising chronic illness cases.
• 70 percent of cancer cases in Kenya are diagnosed at advanced stages, with common cancers including breast, cervical, prostate, oesophageal, and colorectal.
• In October, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced plans for a flat-rate premium of Ksh 660 per month for vulnerable Kenyans.
• KENCO urged the government to include cancer patients and survivors in policy-making bodies to ensure better health reforms.