KMA seeks Sh100 million in children anti-cancer campaign

The Kenya Medical Association (KMA) is seeking to raise Sh100 million through corporate organisations for their ‘Children for Children Cancer Campaign’.

Speaking during a media briefing KMA chairman Dr Elly Nyaim said that the medics lobby was looking to raise funds through partnerships with new and existing companies.

“At the moment we have 15 corporate organisations that have signed the Kenyan Corporate Declaration against Cancer, and these are also parents that is why we will also be seeking to create more awareness on the cancers that affect children,” he said.

The declaration has for the last year been a tool through which KMA has been able to raise awareness among employees on the benefit of early detection and reducing stigma.

According to statistics at the national cancer registry 22,000 people succumb to various types of cancers annually, with 28,000 new cases being diagnosed. Over 70 per cent of the new cases are diagnosed when the cancer is in more advanced stages.

The campaign, which will run from November to February next  year, seeks to raise awareness about childhood cancers will be centred around organising events for children and whose proceeds will go to fund treatments of those affected.

Apart from urging a saving culture among children by encouraging them to save at least Sh200 monthly and contribute it towards the campaign, the doctors association is also seeking to urge corporate organisation to adopt a child and fully sponsor their treatment.

At the moment the only public hospitals equipped to deal with cancer are Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi and the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.