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Oguna Kasam: Cancer Survival Should not Depend on Geography

Oguna Kasam/LinkedIn

May 2, 2025, 05:17

Oguna Kasam: Cancer Survival Should not Depend on Geography

Oguna Kasam, Senior Nuclear Medicine Technologist at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“When a Cancer Diagnosis Means a Death Sentence

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa is bearing an increasingly heavy cancer burden. New cases are projected to double by 2030, with the continent expected to account for nearly 1.5 million new cases annually.
In high-income countries, more than 80% of childhood cancers are cured. In stark contrast, in Africa, less than 30% of children diagnosed with cancer will see their next birthday. This staggering gap is not because the cancers are more aggressive, it’s because the resources, treatments, and hope are not there.

Radiotherapy (RT) is crucial for treating cancer: it is needed in over 50–60% of all cancer patients at some point during treatment. Yet, according to data from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) DIRAC, World Health Organization, and The Lancet Group, a heartbreaking 70% of Africans have no access to radiotherapy.
Some countries don’t have a single radiotherapy machine for millions of citizens living there. Imagine living in a country where getting cancer is equivalent to a death sentence—unless you are rich enough to fly out for treatment.
In many nations, one outdated machine serves tens of millions. When it breaks down (and they often do), patients are left waiting in endless queues, helplessly watching the clock run out.

This situation violates the very spirit of Sustainable Development Goal No. 3: Good Health and Well-being for All.
But all is not lost: Through Rays of Hope initiative together with various organizations, the IAEA is supporting African countries to establish and expand radiotherapy services, slowly but surely bridging this deadly gap.
It’s all our responsibility as individuals, governments, organizations etc. to work in unison in changing the sad narrative.
Cancer survival should not depend on geography.”