Cancer Advocates Program
KENCO being a UICC member applied and was selected to be Kenya’s Country Champion for UICC’s 2019 Cancer Advocates Programme, which is one of UICC’s Capacity Building programmes and an opportunity for UICC Member organizations in low- and middle-income countries to strengthen their ability to advocate for improved cancer control in their countries.
After one year of mentorship, KENCO in 2020 launched its advocacy campaign whose goal is to ensure universal availability of quality and affordable cancer diagnostic and treatment services and progressively reduce out-of-pocket expenditure on cancer treatment in the country leading to comprehensive coverage by 2022.
HPV Vaccine
KENCO in partnership with the Ministry of Health together and other partners helped to introduce a vaccine against Cervical Cancer—also known as the HPV vaccine—into the Routine Immunization Schedule for 10-year-old girls as from October 2019.
Key to KENCO participation was the realization of the following objective
- To promote awareness and availability of the cervical cancer vaccine
- Increase knowledge on the cervical cancer vaccine and its importance
- Decrease and address fears, myths and misconception on the cervical cancer vaccine
- To stimulate parents/guardians to demand for the cervical cancer vaccine for their 10-year old girls as a primary prevention against cervical cancer
- To ensure parents/guardians are aware of where, when and how they can get their 10-year old girls vaccinated.
Key Links
https://ke.goodinternet.org/sections/all-in/hpv-vaccine-info/
https://health.go.ke
https://women4cancer.org/
Tobacco & Alcohol Control
KENCO has advocated for increased tobacco and alcohol taxation to control use of tobacco and alcohol. KENCO’s Advocacy for Tobacco control is done through partnerships and affiliation with Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance-KETCA and other partners.
Moreover, KENCO joined Prevent20, a global coalition of cancer groups calling on governments to raise tobacco taxes, the single most effective tobacco control intervention. The movement’s name is in recognition of the more than 20% of all cancer deaths that are attributable to tobacco use – and completely avoidable.
Health Financing
KENCO has been active in advocacy for this by engaging with the National Hospital Insurance Fund.
Policy Formulation
KENCO has been engaging with the Ministry of Health through the division of the National Cancer Control Program to influence policy formulation and changes.
Empowering Media to Drive Cancer Policy & Prevention
Highlighting Gaps in Care and HPV Vaccine Awareness on World Cancer Day 2025.
On February 4, 2025, in commemoration of World Cancer Day, KENCO, together with various Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), hosted a high-impact media breakfast event at All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi.
The event brought together over 65 mainstream media representatives, bloggers, influencers, content creators, and cancer survivors, creating a dynamic platform to amplify critical issues in cancer care in Kenya.
Key Concerns Raised included:
- Limited access to essential cancer medications, including Herceptin.
- Uncertainty surrounding the transition to the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) under SHA.
- Delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment remain a critical challenge.
- Patient outcomes are significantly affected by systemic inefficiencies.
At the same event, a specialized sensitization session on HPV and cervical cancer was also held for journalists and media professionals to emphasize the importance of HPV vaccine uptake in the fight against cervical cancer. The training aimed to equip journalists and content
creators with accurate information to enhance public awareness and drive behavioral change. 65 Journalists were reached.
This event successfully:
- Raised national awareness on the urgent need for cancer care reforms.
- Built media capacity to report accurately on cervical cancer prevention through HPV Vaccination.
- Mobilized media and public engagement, sparking critical conversations.
- Laid the foundation for continued advocacy and multi-sectoral collaboration in addressing systemic gaps in cancer care.
