President Uhuru Kenyatta should declare cancer a national disaster, Laikipia Woman Rep Catherine Waruguru has said.
Waruguru yesterday said she has presented a bill in the National Assembly. She said the bill has passed through the Budget and Appropriation Committee and now awaits scrutiny by the Parliamentary Committee on Health.
"I would urge the Sabina Chege-led committee to do the final scrutiny on the Waruguru Cancer Bill 2019 so that it can be published for debate in Parliament,” she said.
Waruguru said once it is debated, passed and assented to by the President, Sh14 billion will be set aside by the Treasury for the fight against the disease in all counties.
She said there are only 23 oncologists and three hospitals in the country that deal with cancer disease.
In less than a year, the disease has claimed four prominent people. They include former Baringo MP Grace Kipchoim, former Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore, former Kibra MP Ken Okoth and former Kericho Governor Joyce Laboso.
At the same time, Waruguru said there is need to relook into the companies that supply cancer drugs because some are cartels.