Wellness & Fitness

Huge debts define life of cancer patients, says study

cancer

George Muiruri Kariuki at his Mtwapa home. He used to run a tour firm before his savings were channelled to cancer treatment. PHOTO | WACHIRA MWANGI

About eight in 10 cancer patients incur debt while seeking treatment, a new research says.

The socio-economic effect of cancer on patients’ livelihoods in Kenyan households shows that treatment is a financial burden that is pushing many into poverty.

The disease that is the third major killer among Kenyans—with about 70 deaths daily—has negatively impacted on poverty alleviation and sustainable development, the study shows.

Most families pay out-of-pocket for treatment; through income, savings and borrowing, while others sell assets.
For instance, a breast cancer patient might require more than Sh3 million for treating the disease, an amount that is beyond the reach of thousands of new patients diagnosed with the disease.

Further, the study on 245 patients seeking treatment in Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and the Aga Khan University Hospital, showed that low-income earners were less likely to seek treatment on time, some taking even two years after diagnosis due to financial constraints.

Some patients never seek treatment due to financial constraints.

“The few who are able to afford the treatment are often forced to a lifestyle change as the treatment and management of the disease eats into finances and investments,” the report reads.

The Muiruri family is among the thousands of Kenyan families staring at poverty after the disease depleted their family income.

After being diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer, George Muiruri, (below) 68, depleted all his family savings and has no health insurance.

He also lost mobility of his legs and despite the huge cost of treatment the cancer has spread to his spine.

For the past three years, he spends about Sh180 daily on painkillers.

“And I still need more radiotherapy sessions and supposed to be checked on the back, but we do not have any money left. I am penniless and grounded,” he says.

But there are also the indirect costs, the study says, such as loss of productivity of both the patient and a close family member who has to take the role of the care giver.

Mr Muiruri owned a tour firm from which he comfortably fended for his five children and wife, but had to close shop because all the business money was channelled into the treatment kitty.

His wife, Jane Wanjiru, had a successful catering business, but has since shut it down to take care of her husband.

His daughter, Eva Wanjiku, on the other hand lost her job at a hotel following the end of her contract and is at home assisting in taking care of her ailing father.

Her elder brother, Oliver Kariuki, is also jobless and their other siblings, Mark Muiruri, Ruth Muiruri and Shalom Muiruri, are just out of school.

In 2013, Mr Muiruri had a surgery to remove cancer cells after an X-ray found traces of cancer in his prostate.

Unfortunately, he did not receive further radiotherapy after the surgery and the cancer spread. His health got worse. He has been bedridden since 2015.

“In the earlier years, our dad would provide for us, he would take us out, give us Sh2,000 each to buy clothes or gifts of our choice, buy a goat and other things but all that changed,” says Eva in an interview at their home in Mtwapa, Kilifi.

The family is now planning to take him to India and this will require about Sh2 million, money they do not have.

David Makumi, the chairman Kenya Network of Cancer Organisations, said other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure have their expenses fairly predictable and patients can go on with their lives while on treatment.

Surgery

“But cancer can hospitalise the patient who will also require surgeries that range from Sh100,000 to about Sh500,000 excluding other expensive direct and indirect costs such as drugs to boost the blood, prevent infections and nausea, sometimes, these supportive drugs are more costly than the mainstream cancer treatment,” he said.

Mr Makumi said the financial burden is complicated because some patients are over treated for advanced diseases which offers little or no benefits.

Additional reporting by Rebecca Okwany