Coast General Hospital gynecologist Dr Faiza Nassir has decried increased cases of cervical cancer in Mombasa.
Dr Nassir said three to five women in the county die of cervical cancer every month, due to failure to seek early treatment.
Speaking on Thursday during the launch of a two-day free screening for cervical, breast and prostate cancer, Dr Nassir urged residents to support the health sector in their fight against cancer in the region, among both men and women.
“About 40 per cent of the cervical cancer cases we are seeing are at an advanced stage and the situation is so grave that in a month we lose between three to five women to the cancer,” said Dr Nassir.
She said the hospital will offer free treatment for early cancer lesions, as well as surgical treatment for cases that will be detected during the free screening exercise.
“Patients are coming for treatment at late stages where we are only able to offer palliative care and give chemotherapy to some. Sadly, some of the patients whom we refer for radiotherapy do not make it to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) owing to financial constraints of travelling, accommodation and food, thus end up just resigning themselves to fate,” said Dr Nassir, as quoted by Nation.