KNH radiotherapy machine breakdown halts cancer treatment
The hospital’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr William Sigilai, confirmed the machine is out of service but said efforts are underway to minimize the impact on patients.
Cancer patients at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) have gone without radiotherapy treatment for two weeks due to the sudden breakdown of the hospital’s LINAC Elekta machine, a key device used in cancer care.
The hospital’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr William Sigilai, confirmed the machine is out of service but said efforts are underway to minimize the impact on patients.
“We recognise the critical importance of uninterrupted oncology services, and we immediately activated referral protocols to safeguard patient care,”Sigilai said
He added that the hospital’s Cobalt radiotherapy machine, which had also experienced breakdowns, has been repaired and is now operational.
To fill the gap caused by the LINAC machine failure, KNH has fast-tracked the purchase of a new machine.
“The procurement of a new LINAC machine has been fast-tracked through the appropriate tendering channels and is now at a very advanced stage,” Sigilai said.
He also assured the public of the hospital’s commitment to “delivering world-class, compassionate care” and thanked patients and stakeholders for their patience.
The Ministry of Health recently reported that Kenya loses nine women daily to cervical cancer, with over 3,000 deaths each year.
Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women globally, and Kenya registers around 5,226 new cases annually.
Worldwide, cancer causes about 10 million deaths every year, underscoring the need for better prevention, early detection, and treatment.
