Nairobi County has launched 11 locally-developed projects aimed at addressing major shortcomings in the city’s cancer care system.
The initiatives, formulated through a two-year collaboration with the global health organisation City Cancer Challenge (C/Can), mark a new phase in the county’s approach to treating and managing cancer.
The projects are the result of a data-driven process that included input from over 100 health professionals, 21 health institutions, 20 patient organizations, and 250 patients.
The process led to four key research reports examining gaps in Nairobi’s health financing, digital health systems, research ecosystem, and overall cancer care infrastructure.
The initiative comes amid growing concern over the city’s ability to cope with rising cancer cases and access to quality care.
While officials tout the projects as a step toward equity and sustainability, implementation will require significant coordination, funding, and political will.
The 11 projects focus on key areas such as diagnostics, paediatric oncology, quality of care, and community engagement.
Despite broad endorsement from Nairobi City County Government and the national Ministry of Health, the actual rollout is expected to test the city’s ability to move from policy to practice.
The move positions Nairobi alongside 15 other global cities partnered with C/Can, which works to empower local governments in low- and middle-income countries to drive health system reforms.
C/Can CEO Isabel Mestres described Nairobi’s project portfolio as a potential blueprint for sustainable, systemic change.
With the endorsement of the Nairobi City Executive Committee, the focus now shifts to execution.
Local health authorities, with technical backing from C/Can and other partners, will begin implementing and monitoring the projects in a bid to deliver long-term improvements in cancer care access and quality.
