For 12 years, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has carried a deeply personal memory of the day cancer entered her life — a diagnosis that left her family in tears but pushed her to face the illness with a different kind of strength.
Wanga has now turned that experience into part of her mission to improve cancer care in Homa Bay, saying no resident should have to travel far from home to receive the diagnosis, treatment and support they need.
Speaking on Thursday, August 27, during the commissioning of the Phoebe Asiyo Oncology Center at Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital (HBCTRH), Wanga opened up about the moment she was told she had cancer and how her family reacted.
"[Following the diagnosis], I saw people crying everywhere, my family members, but I didn't cry because Senator Beth Mugo told me, it is your mind that will kill you, not the cancer," she said.
Rather than dwell on the diagnosis, Wanga said she chose to be thankful that she had access to medical care. At the time, she was serving in Parliament, a position that gave her an opportunity to seek the treatment she needed.
“All I did was thank God, that time I was in Parliament, what if I did not have the opportunity to get treatment in the same way that I have?" she added.
For Wanga, that experience did not end with her treatment. It became a reminder of the difference access to healthcare can make, particularly for patients who may not have the means or opportunity to travel outside their county for specialised care.
“All I did was thank God and in thanksgiving, 12 years later, I have not gone anywhere. This is personal to me, in Homa Bay, we are going to have all the facilities for diagnosis and treatment," she further said.
It is against this background that Wanga described the new oncology centre as an important step in changing how cancer patients in Homa Bay and the wider region receive care.
She said the facility is expected to bring specialised cancer services closer to patients, allowing them to remain near their families and support systems while undergoing treatment.
"The commissioning sets a foundation for the cancer care journey for patients across the region, bringing high-quality, comprehensive and dignified cancer services closer to home," she noted.
The governor said the centre will cover different stages of cancer care, beginning with screening and sample collection and extending to diagnosis, treatment and care for patients living with advanced illness.
"From community screening and sample collection to proper diagnostics, confirmatory testing, specialist consultations, treatment, admissions, counselling and psychosocial support, and palliative care, this centre will provide end-to-end continuum of cancer care to patients closer to their families and support systems and is expected to reduce the need for external referrals by more than 90%," she added.
Wanga also pointed to partnerships with different institutions as key to the development of the centre, saying the support would give cancer patients in Homa Bay and neighbouring areas greater hope of accessing the care they need.
"The invaluable partnership with Aga Khan Hospital and Foundation, French Development Agency(AFD), the Gates Foundation and the National Cancer Institute has ensured that together, we can ensure cancer patients from the region have a real chance of looking ahead with optimism," she stated.
The commissioning comes at a time when the Social Health Authority (SHA) has also expanded support for cancer treatment under the national health scheme.
In changes announced in May, SHA said the annual cancer benefits package had been increased from Ksh550,000 to Ksh800,000, while funding under the Emergency, Chronic, and Critical Illness Fund for chronic illnesses was raised from Ksh150,000 to Ksh400,000.
The authority said the changes followed directives from President William Ruto, resolutions reached during the intergovernmental summit between the national and county governments, public participation and analysis of healthcare utilisation data.
"As a culmination of His Excellency the President's Dr. William Samoei Ruto directive during the 2025 State of the Nation Address, the resolutions from the 12th Ordinary Session of the National and County Governments Coordinating Summit, and rigorous public participation and utilization data, the Social Health Authority (SHA) is pleased to announce the enhancement of selected health benefit packages," the statement read.
Under the revised cancer package, patients can access oncology consultations capped at Ksh2,500 per visit, chemotherapy administration at Ksh5,500 per session and radiotherapy at Ksh3,600 per session for up to 30 sessions.
The package also covers advanced diagnostic services, including CT scans at Sh6,900, MRI scans at Ksh11,000, PET scans at Sh53,500 and PSMA PET scans at Sh64,200.
SHA further introduced support for specialised cancer therapies, with brachytherapy covered at Sh40,000 for three sessions and SBRT/SBRS treatment covered up to Sh70,000 for five sessions.
Patients receiving treatment can also access supportive care medicines worth up to Ksh10,000, while follow-up care during remission is guided by the Kenya Cancer National Treatment Protocols.
The broader changes also included maternity and sickle cell care.
For maternity services, all registered beneficiaries can access free delivery services at Level 2 and Level 3 health facilities on a walk-in, walk-out basis, with the services financed through the Primary Healthcare Fund.
Facilities receive Sh10,000 for normal deliveries and essential newborn care, while caesarean sections and newborn care attract reimbursements of Sh30,000.
For patients living with sickle cell disease, SHA introduced coverage for selected specialised procedures, including apheresis platelets at Sh20,000 and red cell exchange at Sh70,000, with each covered up to three times within a policy period.
For Wanga, however, the push for better cancer care is more than a health policy issue. It is rooted in a personal experience that began with a diagnosis, passed through treatment and has now shaped her determination to ensure that patients in Homa Bay have access to the care they need closer to home.