Palliative care in Bungoma: why addressing the pain as one battles chronic disease is important

Cancer patients in Bungoma County will no longer have to travel to Kakamega, Kisumu or Eldoret for services. The county government has introduced sessions for cancer victims in a bid to as one of the ways to combat the disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths each year or nearly one in six deaths.

By 2050: Cases are projected to nearly double to 35 million annually. Most common cases being Lung: 1.86 million deaths, Colon and rectum: 918,000 deaths, Liver: 732,000 deaths Speaking after a meeting between health workers, cancer patients, survivors and their caregivers, Bungoma Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent Simon Kisaka said they were determined to improve the health of patients.

“We are committed to ensuring that every cancer patient receives quality, compassionate and holistic care. We will continue to walk this journey with our patients and their families, offering not only treatment but also hope, encouragement and unwavering support,” Kisaka noted.

He stressed that as a hospital, they have prioritized cancer patients to ensure that there are cancer drugs. “As a facility, we are dedicated to maintaining a consistent supply of cancer medications to minimize treatment interruptions. We will also make the Cancer Day Care programme an annual tradition, providing a platform for patients, survivors and caregivers to connect, encourage one another and remind each other that no one fights cancer alone,” he noted. Dr. Kisaka further advised residents to go for early cancer screening adding that while cancer is a killer disease, when diagnosed early, it is manageable.

"We are all prone to cancer, no one is immune but the earlier we screen, the better it can be handled. Let’s also take care of our diet,” he noted while calling on stakeholders to join hands and ensure the cancer fight is won. The patients narrated the hardships they go through, calling on the government to provide the necessary equipment to reduce trips to seek treatment outside the county. Cancer survivors in Bungoma called on the county to set up a radiotherapy and chemotherapy centre in the county adding that they are forced to travel to other counties to get the services. According to Bonaventure Wasikoyo, a patient, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and he could not sleep on his left side hand and his breathing had a punching smell.

“I was first treated chest problem but the situation continued worsening, I went to a private hospital where CT scan showed my lung was swollen and I was referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret for Bioceps test where it showed I had lung viprosis and was put on medication but the pain intensified forcing me to seek further tests,” he said. Cardiothoracic surgeon who did pronthoscopy told him that he had stage 3 cancer. “I was immediately put on treatment and I am undergoing chemotherapy sessions,” Wasikoyo noted. He says the chemotherapy sessions drained his health. “My body aches a lot, I lost weight and appetite.” However, Wasikoyo is glad the Bungoma Cancer and palliative care unit put him on a drip which has helped ease the pain and also restored his appetite. It took a toll on him when he was discovered to be suffering from cancer. “May view it as a terminal illness, the reality hit me.”

“Treating cancer is not easy and it’s costly. People run away from you, some associate it with witchcraft and superstition, but it is not true,” he said. The patient says through civic education and awareness on cancer, the negative thoughts will be eradicated. He has called for expansion of the Cancer and palliative unit so that to ease pain and travel cost for cancer patients.

Despite the challenges of combating the disease, patients commended SHA insurance for relieving them of the cost of treatment. “The cover has helped a lot since it paid Sh.280,000 towards my treatment and also chemotherapy sessions,” he notes. Joan Owiye, a cancer survivor from Tongaren constituency, says she couldn’t do a lot of movement due to pain but she focused on exercising every morning and evening. “Exercise is key and I encourage mothers and men to go for early screening. I had stage 3 cancer and I have managed to walk the journey of radiotherapy and chemotherapy aerobic exercises have counteracted the effect of chemotherapy and I am able to exercise and move without any hitch,” Owiye notes. Dr. Bilha Murumba who hails from Tongaren says they have a sporting empowerment group where they encourage each other to engage in income generating activities like poultry, plant vegetables, dairy.

“We also do networking with women groups from other counties in sports. Men have also been supporting our sporting activity and we are grateful for that. Through sporting it helps reduce lifestyle diseases like pressure, hypertension, back pain and strengthen body muscles. It keeps us engaged and avoids quarrels at home. We educate each other on gender based violence among other issues,” she noted.

According to caregivers John Simiyu and George Wanjala, late screening and faulty laboratory tests remain a major contributor to cancer deaths. "I lost my immediate follower due to late screening and faulty laboratory tests. At first, they thought it was haemorrhoids, before they discovered he had plastic anaemia. My sister's disease wasn't diagnosed on time, but after several hospital visits, she was screened, and we discovered she had stage 4 cancer. Just like HIV/AIDS, they should do screening for all patients to avoid misdiagnosis and late screening, which is a major cause of deaths,” Simiyu noted.

Wanjala says since his wife was discovered to have cancer, life has not been easy, but they are walking the journey together. “I am forced to do odd tasks like cooking and washing clothes since the medication makes her body fragile. Oncologist Bonface Wekesa said cancer is not an elderly people's disease or witchcraft as many perceive it. “Cancer can affect any age group. We have an oncology day-care where patients are invited and caregivers where they dialogue. They are able to give their history and management and treatment during the cancer journey.

Caregivers also share their challenges and experiences,” Wekesa noted. He says the cancer unit was started in July 2025 to give chemotherapy, and many patients have benefited. “Currently we can see 30 to 40 patients in a week. Such events help patients debrief and share their stories so that they can be resilient in the fight. We do diagnosis, early screening, and give HPV vaccines for Cervical cancer for ages 9 to 14. For screening, the hospital has a Mammogram for breast cancer, HPV DNA screening for cervical cancer, palliative care unit,’ he notes.

He said Bungoma doesn't have a radiotherapy centre and still refers patients to Eldoret for further management. “Let the palliative care unit in Bungoma be fully fledged to avoid patients' stress of travelling to Eldoret for chemotherapy. The county should know cancer is real and they should invest in the cancer unit,” he noted. According to the Ministry of Health Kenya data hosted by the National Cancer Institute Kenya, cancer is the third leading cause of death in Kenya, with approximately 44,726 new cases and 27,000 to 29,317 deaths reported annually. Women face a higher risk (18 per cent risk before age 75) than men (14.3 per cent), and roughly 70 per cent to 80 per cent of cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Breast, cervical, prostate, oesophagal, and colorectal cancers account for nearly half of the total disease burden.