Thika level 5 hospital calls for establishment of cancer care center

Thika level 5 hospital has urged Thika residents to support the institution in its ambition to establish a cancer care center in the area before the end of the year.

To this end the hospital has organized an awareness 21km marathon on 11^th August that is expected to raise over Ksh 15 million towards the construction of the same.

Thika Level Five hospital superintendent Dr Patrick Nyaga says the number of people with Cancer in Thika continues to rise due to lack of a cancer center in the region.

Nyaga says that many people living in Thika have not gone for screening and it’s therefore difficult to estimate how many people are suffering from the same.

He was speaking during the handover ceremony of an Ablution block constructed by Mt Kenya University at a cost of Ksh 5 million.

“We are saying this cannot continue. We are asking people to live a healthy lifestyle, exercise, observe their diet and participate in helping those who are affected by contributing the little they have to enable us set up Thika Cancer Care Centre,” he said.

Chief guest during the ceremony Consolata Kiragu a council member at MKU said the idea to support the hospital is a part of the institutions support for the Big 4 Agenda where health is a key factor.

Kiragu lauded the long term partnership between MKU and the level 5 hospital saying as an institution they are committed to continue with the same.

She called on other institution to support the Big 4 Agenda functions in line with the public-private partnership.

MKU College of Health Principal Dr Josephat Njuguna said the 10-year-long relationship between the university and the hospital has helped enhance access to quality healthcare services.

Njuguna said the university will gladly partner with the hospital in its endeavors to bring awareness on cancer issues as well as putting up the cancer center.

He said MKU will soon set up a cold room at a cost of Ksh 5 million to preserve bodies at General Kago funeral home which the university constructed a few years ago at a cost of Ksh 300 million.