Children with cancer suffer when Kenyatta National Hospital no longer has essential drugs



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Children receiving cancer treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) live in pain after the center runs out of essential cancer drugs.

The hospital has not received these medications in the last two months, forcing parents to buy them at expensive prices in private pharmacies, while those who can not afford to pay are forced to skip treatment, indicates a report on Sunday Nation.

At least 200 children are currently admitted to pediatric oncology services at the largest public hospital in the country, the majority of them from poor families.

The publication indicates that most parents do not have health insurance and can not afford expensive drugs such as vincristine, doxorubicin, metacapurine, allopurinol, cytoplastine and cyclophosphamide.

Mrs. Carol Omondi says she is afraid of losing her daughter at any time if nothing is done. His daughter is suffering from cancer of neuroblastoma.

"For the first two months, the treatment was smooth, but in the last two months I've been literally trying to make ends meet. It's very unfortunate, God forbid us to lose my child because I can not afford her treatment, "she told the Sunday Nation.

Since then, she has gone to social media to ask supporters to help raise money to buy drugs for her daughter.

"Hello, Kenyans, I am the mother of a four-year-old girl with cancer (neuroblastoma). I have to be with her at the hospital because her condition does not allow me to work. A tumor has spread throughout her body, including the brain, which has since interfered with her vision, "she said on Facebook.

"My child missed lifesaving drugs that are out of stock at the hospital. We are forced to buy but I do not have the money. A tumor spreads so quickly that it can not survive without chemotherapy. Help me in any way possible to bring my daughter back to life, "she adds.

She says she needs sh106,000 to 160,000 shillings for a chemotherapy cycle.

The chairman of the Network of Cancer Organizations in Kenya, David Makumi, said the trend of missing medicines is worrisome.

"Cancer is not like malaria where a type of treatment cures the disease. If you can not take care of the entire treatment, you would prefer to do without it, "he says.

Simon Ithai, Communications Manager at KHN, explains that some anti-cancer drugs are not stored in the facility.

"What I do know is that some drugs are not stored in our facility. Send me the names of the medications then I will talk to the doctor and call you back, "he said. Daily Nation.

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