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Kenyatta National Hospital has assured cancer patients that cancer drugs are in stock at the facility.
The insurance followed media reports that stocks were dry, potentially endangering the lives of hundreds of cancer patients and depending on hospital supplies.
In a statement released Sunday, Dr. Thomas Mutie, Acting Director General, said the available drugs include vincristine, doxorubicin, allopurinol, cisplatin and cyclophosphamide.
"However, mercaptopurine and carboplatin are the drugs that are not available at the hospital, but have been awarded to the supplier for delivery," said Mutie.
He attributed the lack of these two drugs to the fact that there are a limited number of providers authorized to provide specific drugs against cancer at KNH.
Mutie also explained that there is only one brand of mercaptopurine that is registered for use in Kenya, but that the drug is currently not available in the country.
"KNH had previously awarded a contract for the supply of unavailable anticancer drugs, which were delivered but were rejected because they did not meet the required specifications," said Mutie.
He pointed out that another supplier had since been put on the market and that he should deliver carboplatin on Monday.
"The hospital is doing its best to find the drugs unavailable from alternative providers," Mutie said.
In July, concerns among breast cancer patients at KNH after Herceptin, the medicine that heals the early stages of the disease, is out of stock.
This was attributed to the inability of the Ministry of Health to honor its commitment to supply.
KNH cancer patients have access to free medicines.
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