Global pharmaceutical firm Pfizer
International has announced a 60 per cent drop in the cost of cancer medication
in a fresh drive to combat escalating prevalence of the disease.
The price drop will apply to drugs manufactured by the
company for treatment of cancer as well as pharmaceutical equipment such as
machinery and other testing kits involved.
The company has also donated $200,000 through various
non-governmental organizations towards fighting the scourge in Kenya.
The drastic drop in cost of medication is widely
expected to translate into increased access to cancer treatment especially
among middle and low income households.
While commenting on the
development, Pfizer Country Manager
for Nigeria and East Africa Region Dr. Enrico Liggeri said
the company was also enhancing partnerships with various non-governmental
organizations to ensure increased access to medication especially among
developing countries.
In Kenya, the company is has partnered with AMPATH in a
number of programmes towards this cause.
“Our commitment is to make cancer treatment more
accessible. We are doing this through partnerships with various governments,
non-governmental organizations and other health sector stakeholders,” said
Enrico.
Kenya has in the recent times witnessed rising cases of
cancer related deaths some involving high profile members of the society.
The official attributed the rising cases of cancer to
poor dietary habits especially those involving solid fats, smoking and lack of
physical exercise.
He lauded the Kenyan government for its commitment in
preventing cancer adding that this commitment must be matched with long term policy
documentation on how the country plans to combat cancer going forward.
According to Prof. Othieno Abinya, an Oncologist and
the Kenyatta National Hospital, access to cancer medication in the country is
on a steady increase and the latest price drop by Pfizer will go a long way
towards this.
“As a country, we do not have sufficient infrastructure
to handle the high prevalence of the disease. However in the recent time,
concerted efforts by the government and business entities like Pfizer have seen
substantial ease of access,” said Dr. Abinya.
He advised that the government moves to decentralize
cancer centres from Nairobi to the counties to increase access to medication.
Both Ministers handling health portfolios in Kenya,
Prof. Anyang Nyong’o of Medical Services and Beth Mugo of Public Health are Cancer
survivors, a situation Dr. Abinyo says could herald a lot of government
goodwill in fighting the disease.
Both Dr. Liggeri and Dr. Abinyo advised Kenyans to go
for cancer testing reiterating that early detection accounts to over 70 per
cent of success in treatment.
“Most cancer cases especially those involving cervix, breast,
skin and throat are treatable on early detection. It only becomes a challenge
when one goes for treatment long after the disease has spread to unmanageable
levels,” said Dr. Abinya.
