Why Cancer in Kenya Is a Financial and Medical Crisis—And What's Changing

Cancer in Kenya is not just a medical challenge—it's a financial catastrophe that forces families to choose between treatment and survival. From diagnosis to ongoing care, patients face enormous costs that extend far beyond hospital bills, including lost income for both patients and caregivers. Yet amidst these struggles, early detection programs and new national initiatives are beginning to shift the conversation toward prevention and hope.

Why Is Cancer Treatment So Expensive in Kenya?

The financial burden of cancer in Kenya starts before treatment even begins. "From the initial diagnostics to treatment, supportive care, and follow-up, patients bear enormous financial and emotional burdens," explains Dr. Afrin Shaffi, a Gynaecological Oncologist at Nairobi West Hospital. "Cancer care is not just a medical intervention—it is a whole-life consideration for both patients and their families".

The costs break down across multiple stages of care:

• Diagnostic Testing: Initial biopsies, imaging scans, and specialized tests can run into tens of thousands of Kenyan shillings before a diagnosis is even confirmed.
• Treatment Costs: Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and newer therapies like immunotherapy are expensive. Immunotherapy alone can cost between 70,000 and 450,000 Kenyan shillings per dose, administered every three weeks, sometimes for years.
• Supportive Care: Blood transfusions, dietary needs, counseling, and transportation to treatment centers add thousands more to the total burden.
• Indirect Costs: Patients unable to work during treatment and caregivers taking extended leave lose income that families depend on for survival.

These financial pressures often cause patients to delay care or forego treatment entirely, which directly impacts survival rates and disease progression.

Which Cancers Are Most Common in Kenya—And Can They Be Prevented?

Cancer is the third leading cause of death in Kenya after infectious and cardiovascular diseases. According to GLOBOCAN 2022 data, Kenya reports 44,726 new cancer cases annually, with women disproportionately affected. Breast cancer accounts for 23.3 percent of female cases, while cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women, with 5,845 new cases and 3,600 deaths annually.

The critical difference between these two cancers is that cervical cancer is largely preventable. "Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for most cervical cancers," Dr. Shaffi explains. "Screening with HPV DNA tests or Pap smears allows abnormal cervical cells to be identified early, before they become malignant". Despite this preventability, many women are diagnosed late due to limited access to screening, stigma, and lack of awareness.

Some cancers also have a genetic component. "BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers," Dr. Shaffi notes. "Lynch syndrome predisposes individuals to uterine and colon cancers. These gene abnormalities often run in families, making awareness and genetic counseling critical for early intervention".

How Early Detection Changes Everything

The difference between catching cancer early and catching it late can mean the difference between life and death. Early detection increases survival chances dramatically because it determines what treatment options are available. "Breast cancer can be detected through clinical examinations, mammograms, and ultrasounds," Dr. Shaffi explains. "Detecting cancer early gives patients more treatment options and improves survival rates".

Cancer staging—how far the disease has spread—is critical to determining outcomes. Stage one cancers are usually localized to one area, stage two and three involve adjacent tissues, and stage four represents metastasis, where cancer spreads to distant organs. The earlier the stage at diagnosis, the more treatment options are available and the better the likely outcome.

Imaging techniques such as CT scans, MRI, and PET scans help oncologists determine the extent of disease, while biopsies confirm cancer type and guide treatment decisions. "Accurate staging is critical because it informs the best approach, whether surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or targeted therapy," Dr. Shaffi adds.

What New Programs Are Offering Hope?

Recognizing the urgency of cervical cancer prevention, the Kenyan government launched the National Cervical Cancer Elimination Action Plan 2026–2030, a five-year strategy to accelerate prevention, screening, and treatment. This represents a major shift toward addressing one of the most preventable cancers affecting Kenyan women.

Pediatric cancer care is also receiving new attention. On January 23, the National Cancer Institute of Kenya convened a stakeholder meeting in Nairobi to establish a National Childhood Cancer Registry. The registry aims to standardize pediatric cancer reporting, strengthen data systems for early diagnosis, and support research and long-term patient outcomes. "Accurate diagnosis in children is the first hurdle," explains Dr. Rose Munge, a Paediatrician and Paediatric Haematologist-Oncologist at Kenyatta University Teaching, Research, and Referral Hospital. "Without it, treatment cannot begin".

Beyond statistics and programs, cancer is ultimately about human experience. Emmy Angeeyo, 29, noticed a tiny bump on her nipple in 2020 while preparing to welcome a baby. A biopsy confirmed breast cancer. "I was devastated," Emmy recalls. "I thought cancer was a death sentence. I had lost my cousin within a year, so I believed I wouldn't survive." Today, Emmy is a survivor. "I no longer let cancer control me. My condition is stable, and I take medications to manage my hormones. I am a survivor".

These stories of resilience, combined with new national initiatives and improved access to early detection, offer a pathway forward for cancer care in Kenya. The conversation is shifting from treatment alone to prevention, early detection, and comprehensive support—changes that could save thousands of lives.