CEMPC
The Cancer Education Materials for Patients and Caregivers (CEMPC) program aims at demystifying cancer through the production and distribution of cancer education materials for use by health workers and patients and their caregivers. The materials come in two forms:
- Flipcharts – used by health workers in counseling cancer patients as a guide on the kind of information they need to pass to cancer patients. Before engagement, the health workers first undergo a two (2) day training which equips them with knowledge on cancer and skills on effective communication, breaking bad news, counseling, and handling cancer patients. The flipcharts are available in both English and Swahili.
- Patients and Care Givers Booklets – the booklets are issued to diagnosed cancer patients and their caregivers with an aim of demystifying the disease. The booklets cover various issues such as what cancer is, signs and symptoms of the disease, the treatment options available and their side effects, palliative care and pain management, diet and lifestyle management, and tips for caregivers. The booklet is available in English and Swahili as well.
As of August 2019, KENCO has trained over twenty-five (25) civil society organizations and over one hundred (100) health workers from over forty (40) health facilities providing cancer treatment and care services around Nairobi and its environs Coast, Rift Valley, and Western regions and is actively working with these organizations and facilities on the distribution of these materials to cancer patients and their caregivers. To date over fifteen thousand ( 15,000) materials have been distributed benefiting over twelve thousand (12,000) patients and caregivers have received booklets with at least six thousand (6,000) more estimated to receive them by the end of this year.
Awareness Among The General Public
KENCO is involved in creation of awareness on cancer among the general public with the main purpose being to promote:
- Primary cancer prevention through behaviour change – dealing with known cancer risk factors i.e. tobacco use, excessive use of alcohol, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity
- Secondary prevention through screening for early detection.
KENCO creates awareness among the general public through various ways:
- Social media campaigns – KENCO continuously creates awareness on various cancers on social media throughout the year using KENCO’s social media handles.
- Public webinars – now and then, KENCO holds targeted public webinars to enlighten the public on various cancer issues
- IEC materials – KENCO signed a memorandum of understanding with National Cancer Institute of Kenya that will see KENCO print and distribute IEC materials on cancer targeted on the general public. The materials were developed and translated into 7 local languages by NCI Kenya with inputs from other stakeholders, KENCO included.
UICC HPV Awareness Project
Project Goal: Reduce the incidence of cervical cancer in Nairobi by enhancing awareness and increasing the uptake of the HPV vaccine from November 2024 to November 2025.
This project is funded by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to support community-led efforts aimed at increasing HPV vaccine uptake and cervical cancer screening in Nairobi’s informal settlements. Training has been conducted for 49 representatives from KENCO member organizations, 10 Community Health Assistants (CHAs), and 40 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) from informal settlements in Embakasi South and Embakasi North subcounties in Nairobi.
What The Project Aims To Achieve
- Train 100 CHPs and KENCO representatives to promote cervical cancer awareness and the HPV vaccine
- Reach over 100,000 parents and caregivers with accurate, evidence-based messages about HPV vaccination
- Increase HPV vaccination and improve cervical cancer screening rates in targeted informal settlements
Kenya Tobacco & Nicotine Tax Consortium (KTNTC)
KENCO, alongside civil society partners, helps shape Kenya’s tobacco control momentum through advocacy and stakeholder engagement
With support from the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and Cancer Research UK, the Kenya Tobacco and Nicotine Tax Coalition (KTNTC), a coalition of eight organizations, was established to build a strategic movement for stronger tobacco control through policy reform, civil society engagement, and digital advocacy. The coalition members are: the Kenya Tobacco and Health Promotion Alliance (KETCA – Lead partner), NCD Alliance of Kenya, Students Campaign Against Drugs (SCAD), Den of Hope, National Taxpayers Association (NTA), International Institute for Legislative Affairs (IILA), Consumer Information Network (CIN) and KENCO.
As an active coalition member, KENCO) has played a key role in leading capacity-building training,
stakeholder mapping, online campaigns, and equipping advocates to counter tobacco industry
interference, with a strong focus on taxation policy. KENCO’s activities under KTNTC – Status Report;
- Digital Advocacy
- Empowering CSOs to Drive Tobacco Tax Reforms for Better Public Health in Kenya
- Mapping Allies: Who’s Influencing Tobacco Tax Reform in Kenya?
- Feature Story Project: Documenting Lived Experiences of Tobacco-Related NCDs
The tool is available here https://forms.gle/7VGxFnsHEgVfd2LX7
“MWANGA” Project – Supported By AFRON
Strengthening Breast and Childhood Cancer Control in Kenya: A Collaborative Approach to Awareness, Early Detection, and Access to Care
The Mwanga Project, a partnership between KENCO and AFRON Oncologia per l’Africa ETS, addresses breast and childhood cancer gaps in Kenya through a community-driven initiative.
What The Project is Expected to Achieve
- Training 800 frontline health workers in early detection
- Reaching 200,000 community members with awareness
- Activating 50 grassroots advocates for local change
- Providing direct patient support, including SHA insurance and rehabilitative commodities
- Advocating for policy changes to enhance public funding and integrate cancer care into national insurance
Project Progress: Training of Cancer Advocates
The training of cancer advocates under the MWANGA Project was successfully conducted. 52 cancer advocates from KENCO membership were trained for 3 days at the RFH Cancer Centre. The members trained were equipped with knowledge and skills to help them in their community awareness and advocacy work. RFH Cancer Centre contributed to the training costs, which enabled the extension of the training by an extra day to 3 days, ensuring topicsPage were 10 covered comprehensively and additional topics included.
