Kenyatta National Hospital will soon introduce oncology nursing training, the hospital’s acting CEO Thomas Mutie has said.
Mutie said this will help address the rising number of cancer patients seeking treatment at the facility.
He spoke on Thursday when he officiated over the KNH School of Nursing 11th Graduation ceremony at the hospital grounds.
The CEO said overstretched facilities is a major challenge for the hospital.
“The hospital treats patients from all over Kenya and the neighbouring countries as well. Kenya has 47,887 new cancer cases every year or 39 per cent of the 122,564 infections, followed by Tanzania with 42,060, while Uganda has 3,261. Having more staff in such an area will help greatly in fighting the disease,” Mutie said.
Ninety-eight nursing students graduated with higher diplomas during the function, 27 in critical care nursing, 15 in neonatal nursing, 13 in peri-operative nursing, nine in accident and emergency and 31 in nephrology nursing.
More than 1,080 students have graduated since the inception of the school in 1996, Mutie said.
He said KNH, the only public institution that has most cancer experts and technology in Kenya, is overwhelmed by the number of patients going to the facility.