Cancer patients worry because KNH has no more drugs

Kenyatta National Hospital. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE

BY ANGELA OKETCH

Patients who depend on an expensive bad cancer drug complain of the inconsistency of his offer after the end of the hospital National Kenyatta a month ago

can cure the early stages of the disease, is currently out of stock after the Ministry 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. 2-positive receptor (HER2 +), which has spread into 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 cycles of chemotherapy for metastatic disease

. The patients told the Sunday Nation yesterday that last week most of them had been fired and told to come back later since the drug was out of stock.

According to David Makumi, who chairs Kenya The network of organizations fighting cancer, cancer patients are traveling long distances to be repelled.

This, he said, forced most patients to delay treatment or to seek another way to use the drug. National Care Insurance fund cards.

"Only patients attached to the teaching and referral hospital of KNH and Me can access the drug free of charge.Others who are in other hospitals are suffering.The drug is too expensive for them and it's not fair, "he said

. Mr. Makumi said that on many occasions, they were forced to pressure the ministry to buy the drugs to patients

. "PATIENTS SUFFER"

"It is a trend that the supply of the drug has been very poor, patients are suffering. The Sunday Nation learned that the Ministry of Health has reached a protocol agreement with a Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche, in 2016 to provide the drug. This later led to the formation of a program, called the Herceptin Access Program, which addresses most cancer patients.

In a memorandum of co – financing agreement signed in May of last year, the department was to pay 50 percent of the cost and Roche the other half. The agreement made the drug accessible and deliverable 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 started, about 20 patients were enrolled. The Swiss company has taken over part of the cost of the drugs by agreeing to pay 60 percent that the Ministry of Health has paid 40 percent of the cost, which is about 80.959 Sh (800 $)

But the Ministry was accused of not honoring its end of contract

which forced the Kenya Cancer Network Organization, which is the national body of all patients with cancer, petition the senior secretary of the Ministry of Health, Peter Tum, and demand that the purchase and distribution of the drug be immediately supported by the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA).