Reprieve for Cancer Patients as Pharmaceutical Firm Drastically Slashes cost of Medication

By Eric Akasa

Global pharmaceutical firm Pfizer International has announced an average 60 per cent drop in the cost of cancer medication in a fresh drive to combat escalating prevalence of the disease.

The price drop will apply to drugs manufactured by the company for treatment of cancer as well as pharmaceutical equipment such as machinery and other testing kits involved.

The company has also donated $200,000 through various non-governmental organizations towards fighting the scourge in Kenya.

 The drastic drop in cost of medication is widely expected to translate into increased access to cancer treatment especially among middle and low income households.

According to Dr. Enrico Liggeri Pfizer Country Manager for Nigeria and East Africa Region, the company was also enhancing partnerships with various non-governmental organizations to ensure increased access to medication especially among developing countries.

In Kenya, the company is has partnered with AMPATH in a number of programmes towards this cause.

“Our commitment is to make cancer treatment more accessible. We are doing this through partnerships with various governments, non-governmental organizations and other health sector stakeholders,” said Enrico.

 Kenya has in the recent times witnessed rising cases of cancer related deaths some involving high profile members of the society. The official attributed the rising cases of cancer to poor dietary habits especially those involving solid fats, smoking and lack of physical exercise.

 He lauded the Kenyan government for its commitment in preventing cancer adding that this commitment must be matched with long term policy documentation on how the country plans to combat cancer going forward.

 According to Prof. Othieno Abinya, an Oncologist and the Kenyatta National Hospital, access to cancer medication in the country is on a steady increase and the latest price drop by Pfizer will go a long way towards this.

 “As a country, we do not have sufficient infrastructure to handle the high prevalence of the disease. However in the recent time, concerted efforts by the government and business entities like Pfizer have seen substantial ease of access,” notes Dr. Abinya.

He advised that the government moves to decentralize cancer centres from Nairobi to the counties to increase access to medication.

Both Ministers handling health portfolios in Kenya, Prof. Anyang Nyong’o of Medical Services and Beth Mugo of Public Health are Cancer survivors, a situation Dr. Abinya says could herald a lot of government goodwill in fighting the disease.

 Both Dr. Liggeri and Dr. Abinya advised Kenyans to go for cancer testing reiterating that early detection accounts to over 70 per cent of success in treatment.

 “Most cancer cases especially those involving cervix, breast, skin and throat is treatable on early detection. It only becomes a challenge when one goes for treatment long after the disease has spread to unmanageable levels,” said Dr. Abinya.