Kenya’s cancer care challenge: Why early detection must be matched by affordable treatment

By Emily Nazi, Assistant Wellness Manager, Jubilee Health Insurance

**KENYA—As Kenya transitions from Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October to Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in November, public health campaigns continue to emphasise the importance of early detection and timely screening. **

Women are encouraged to undergo breast and cervical cancer screening, while men are urged to understand their prostate cancer risks and seek medical advice on appropriate testing.

However, beyond the importance of screening lies another challenge: the ability of patients and their families to afford treatment after receiving a cancer diagnosis.

According to Emily Nazi, Assistant Wellness Manager at Jubilee Health Insurance, a cancer diagnosis can trigger a financial crisis for thousands of Kenyan households, depleting savings, disrupting livelihoods, and threatening long-term financial security.

Data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) show that Kenya recorded an estimated 7,243 new breast cancer cases in 2022.

Prostate cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Kenyan men, accounting for 21.9% of new male cancer cases and resulting in an estimated 2,029 deaths.

Behind these figures are patients and families struggling to balance treatment expenses with employment, caregiving responsibilities and the everyday costs of living.

The financial burden of cancer treatment

The cost of cancer care can place considerable pressure on household finances.

A 2026 study involving 103 breast cancer patients at Kenyatta National Hospital estimated average total household expenditure at approximately KES 2.14 million (US$16,462).

The figure included direct medical expenses, transportation, other non-medical costs and income lost during treatment.

The study also highlighted how families finance cancer care.

Approximately 97% of participants relied on personal income and savings, while 29% sold assets and 22% took out loans to meet treatment-related expenses.

These findings raise concerns about whether early diagnosis can translate into better health outcomes when patients cannot afford the treatment they need.

Although early detection improves the chances of successful treatment, financial difficulties can undermine these benefits.

Patients may postpone medical appointments, struggle to purchase prescribed medicines or interrupt treatment because they cannot meet the associated costs.

Health insurance and the protection gap

Health insurance plays an important role in helping families manage eligible medical expenses and protect their savings. However, having an insurance policy does not necessarily guarantee adequate financial protection.

Families need to understand their policy benefits, coverage limits, exclusions and potential out-of-pocket expenses.

This is particularly important when cancer treatment involves additional costs such as transportation, caregiving and lost income, which may not fall within standard insurance coverage.

The 2025–26 Kenya Mini Demographic and Health Survey, published by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), also reflects the extent of financial vulnerability among Kenyan households.

The survey found that about 40% of the household population had some form of health insurance, highlighting the substantial number of people still exposed to high healthcare costs.

Similarly, a 2022 World Bank report on Kenya’s health expenditure highlighted the burden of out-of-pocket healthcare payments, citing estimates that medical expenses push approximately one million Kenyans into poverty annually.

These figures underscore the need to integrate financial protection into cancer care rather than treating it as a separate consideration.

Shared responsibility in financing cancer care

Financial preparedness is often presented as an individual or household responsibility, with families encouraged to save, plan for emergencies and purchase appropriate health insurance.

While these measures are important, the cost of cancer treatment, which can run into millions of shillings, places considerable pressure on households with limited financial resources.

Addressing this challenge therefore requires coordinated action across the healthcare and financial sectors.

For the insurance industry, the priority should be to make health protection more accessible, transparent and responsive to the realities of prolonged illnesses.

Insurers also need to help customers understand the difference between having medical cover and having sufficient financial protection when serious health conditions arise.

Healthcare providers, meanwhile, should discuss treatment costs with patients early in the care process.

Identifying individuals at risk of financial hardship and connecting them with available assistance can help prevent economic difficulties from disrupting treatment.

Employers also have a role in supporting workers diagnosed with cancer.

Flexible working arrangements, appropriate leave policies and employee wellness programmes can help address the physical, emotional and financial pressures associated with prolonged treatment.

Policymakers must equally continue strengthening healthcare financing systems to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure and ensure that patients can access and complete treatment without unnecessary financial hardship.

As public awareness shifts from breast cancer to prostate cancer, the conversation around cancer care needs to address not only the importance of screening but also the financial barriers that prevent patients from accessing treatment.

Ensuring that a diagnosis does not compromise a family’s financial future remains an important part of improving access to cancer care.

Early detection gives patients a better chance of survival, but affordable and continuous treatment is essential to making that opportunity count.

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