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Patients who depend on an expensive bad cancer drug complain of inconsistency in its supply after Kenyatta National Hospital ran out of drugs there a month ago
The drug, Herceptin, which can heal early stages of the disease, is currently out of stock after the Department of Health has not honored its commitment to supply .
The drug is very expensive, with a dose of 250,000 shillings and a patient needs 18 doses. However, patients receive it free of charge at KNH.
EARLY BREAST CANCER
Herceptin is approved for the treatment of early-stage bad cancer known in medicine as a human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2 +), which has been propagated in the lymph nodes
It may also be used alone for the treatment of HER2-positive bad cancer in patients who have received one or more courses of chemotherapy for metastatic disease.
Sunday Nation that last week most of them were fired and told to come back later because the drug was out of stock.
According to David Makumi, who chairs the Kenya Cancer Organizations Network, cancer This has forced most patients to delay treatment or to look for another way to get the drug to other institutions in Kenya. using their National Health Insurance Fund. rds.
"Only patients attached to the teaching and referral hospital KNH and Me can access the drug for free.Others who are in other hospitals are suffering.The drug is too expensive for they are not fair, "he said
. Mr. Makumi said that on many occasions they have been forced to pressure the ministry to buy the drugs to patients. PATIENTS SUFFER & # 39;
"It is a trend that the supply of the drug has been very poor, the patients are suffering.Many missed their doses and risked the progression of the disease," he said. he said
The Sunday Nation learned that the Ministry of Health had reached a protocol agreement with a Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche, in 2016. 19659016] This later led to the training of a program, called Herceptin Access Program, which addresses to most cancer patients.
In a co-financing agreement protocol signed in May last year , the ministry had the operation made the drug accessible and to publish in a public institution for the first time in the country.
When the program, designed to help patients access treatment at a subsidized rate, was launched, about 20 patients were enrolled and the number e subsequently increased
The Swiss company has borne most of the cost of drugs by agreeing to pay 60%, the Ministry of Health paying 40% of the cost. about Sh80,959 ($ 800) for each
But the department was accused of not honoring its pledge
which forced the Kenya Cancer Network Organization, which brings together all patients with cancer, the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Peter Tum, requests that the purchase and distribution of the drug be immediately supported by the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA)
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