By Ongaga Ongaga
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has asked the Ministry of Health to provide clear timelines for the completion and opening of the cancer treatment centre in Kisii.
Onyonka raised concerns over staffing, equipment and access to specialised services for patients from the region.
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Further, he wants the ministry to explain when construction will be completed, the facility equipped and specialised health workers recruited and deployed to make the centre fully operational.
He has also sought details on the number and categories of specialists required to run the facility, as well as the process through which they will be recruited.
The senator said the government needed to clarify how the centre would work with the oncology unit at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTRH) and the national referral system to ensure patients receive coordinated care.
Onyonka further wants the ministry to outline measures to guarantee access for cancer patients from Kisii, Nyamira, Migori, Homa Bay and neighbouring counties once the centre becomes operational.
The facility is expected to expand access to specialised cancer care in the region and reduce the burden on patients who often have to seek treatment at other facilities.
Onyonka said clear implementation timelines were necessary to establish when patients could begin accessing services at the centre, rather than leaving them uncertain about when the project would deliver its intended benefits.
The senator’s questions come amid wider efforts to expand specialised healthcare services and bring treatment closer to patients outside major referral centres.
The government has allocated funds for the construction of a cancer centre at Kisii Level 5 Hospital, with the 2026 budget listing an allocation of Sh1.016 billion for the project.
