04/03/2026
“Women’s lives matter. Period!”
At Roche Africa Press Day in Nairobi, Mrs. Dorothy Nyong’o — County First Lady of Kisumu and Managing Trustee of Africa Cancer Foundation — delivered a powerful call to action urging African governments to prioritize women’s cancers through sustained investment in prevention, screening, early diagnosis, faster treatment pathways, patient navigation, access to innovative therapies, and palliative care.
She called on the Social Health Authority (SHA) to fully cover the cost of cancer screening and diagnosis, emphasizing that cost barriers continue to delay lifesaving care. Sharing findings from the ongoing breast cancer research project at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital — supported by Tiba Foundation and Africa Cancer Foundation — she noted that over 300 women have been mobilized for screening, 164 biopsied, and 116 diagnosed with invasive breast disease and now on follow-up care. The project is actively bridging treatment gaps caused by financial constraints.
She also highlighted the EMPOWER initiative, a partnership between Roche, County First Ladies Association, International Cancer Institute, Women 4 Cancer, and Africa Cancer Foundation, which established 20 clinics across 19 counties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, 57 additional Digital EMPOWER clinics — adopted by the National Cancer Institute — have expanded access nationwide, reaching over 235,000 women and supporting treatment for more than 3,225 women.
Reinforcing advocacy efforts alongside the Africa Breast Cancer Council, she underscored a critical message: health investment delivers measurable economic returns — with early public health interventions yielding more than 14 times the initial investment. When treated strategically, health becomes a multiplier, not a drain on resources.
The call is clear: integrate women’s cancer care, invest decisively, and act with urgency to save lives, strengthen communities, and elevate economies.
