Page 31 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 5
P. 31
HEALTH & WELLNESS
was acquired by the German recently? Could Glyphosate town. This is corroborated by
Multinational Bayer. Howev- based Weed Killers like Round- The Head of Oncology and
er, RoundUp was expected to Up be the culprit just like in the Physiotherapy at Moi Teaching
remain as a brand and even if California case, as it’s entered and Referral hospital in Eldoret
the brand was to disappear, the their faming practice only in the who reported that cancer cases
active ingredient Glyphosate in recent past? Could the cows were rising at alarming rate in
Weed Killers would definitely be getting cancerous because the area; 5000 cancer referral
be in different brands. As of of contaminated drinking water cases annually since 2016.
August 2018, more than 8,000 flowing from trenches that drain [7] Eldoret produces cereals
lawsuits had come up in the the soil to prevent water logging including wheat, barley and
U.S. claiming that RoundUp in Kipipiri? maize. Again, Weed killers are
caused cancer on the individual Cancer is not confined to Nyan- used heavily here to control
suing or their deceased family darua County but is wreaking weeds in Wheat and Maize
members. [2] havoc in Nyeri, Meru, Embu, farms. Are Glyphosate based
Nakuru, and Eldoret among Weed Killers responsible for
CANCER CASES RISE AT AN other regions in Kenya. the rise of cancer in Meru and
ALARMING RATE IN KENYA Governor Mutahi Kahiga of Eldoret too?
15,000km from San Francis- Nyeri is also familiar with the It is indisputable that cancer is
co, a crisis is looming and the cancer crisis in Nyeri. In Feb- on the rise in Kenya.
response has been panic, ruary 2018, he was in Nyeri
helplessness and fighting fires. County Referral Hospital when ARE WE JUST FIGHTING
Nyandarua County is known the facility launched free cancer FIRES? SHOULD THERE BE
to be very fertile. That fertility screening. [4] Besides the high AN URGENT CONCURENT
is not evident in the produce usage of Weed Killers in the EFFORT TO ESTABLISH THE
only but in weeds that spring county, some farmers in Nyeri SOURCE OF THE RISING
up ruthlessly. Farmers in this are spraying maturing onions CANCER CASES?
county consider weed killers a with Weed Killers to dry them It’s obvious that these places
miracle and a solution to the quickly so that the entire crop have something in common.
persistent weeds. The use of is harvested and transported in They are farming communities
weed killer in this county by one shipment thereby saving and their hospitals are over-
small scale farmers is recent, cost. The public will be shocked whelmed by new cancer cases.
as is everywhere else in Kenya. to know that this practice is ap- It is also true that widespread
Coincidentally, farmers in Nyan- plied elsewhere to dry up wheat use of weed killer to control
darua have been grappling and barley right before harvest. weeds is fairly new in Kenya
with cancer at an alarming rate [5] Is Glyphosate in Weed especially with small scale
which is also a new phenome- Killers responsible for increased farmers. The response by both
non in the area. Former County cancer cases in Nyeri too? National and respective Coun-
Women’s Rep is all too familiar In June 2015, Meru County try leadership has been cancer
with the crisis. In May 2015, government started a cancer screening and advocating for
she helped raise Ksh 10 million awareness programme after it more and bigger cancer cen-
to build Ksh.1 Billion Cancer was noted that 15% of all can- ters. This is expected of politi-
Center at Miharati, Kipipiri. [3] cer cases referred to Kenyatta cians since it easier to get re-
I was shocked to learn from a National Hospital were from elected if people can point to a
local veterinarian that cows are Meru. At the time, the County building that they helped build.
being disposed to the slaughter government was planning to The building also provides
house with strange cancers build a Ksh. 700 Million Cancer handy political optics to cement
which he has only seen in huge Treatment Center. [6] Further legacy and eternal fame. But is
numbers in the last 5 years. Is West, my friend from Eldoret screening only enough? Should
it possible that cancer cases who lives in New Zealand visit- the solution to this emerging
have risen in Nyandarua Coun- ed home in 2017 after 3 years threat be building “modern”
ty necessitating such a huge absence and was shocked at cancer centers? Should we
cancer treatment center due to the rate of cancer centers that only focus on treating or should
something they have adapted have cropped up in her home we find out the source of can-
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