St. Francis Hospital, NCI-K Partner to Boost Cancer Data Reporting
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By John Kariuki
St. Francis Community Hospital has partnered with the National Cancer Institute of Kenya (NCI-K) to strengthen cancer data abstraction and reporting, a move expected to improve treatment outcomes and national cancer control strategies.
During a meeting at the hospital, NCI-K’s Nairobi County Cancer Registrar, Mr. Hillary Chang’wony, emphasized the importance of accurate and timely data in shaping health policies, guiding resource allocation, and identifying treatment gaps.
The session was hosted by the hospital’s CEO, Sr. Mary Rita, and brought together key leaders including Administrator Geoffrey Ingisa, Head of Oncology Catherine Ruita, her assistant Mercy Jemurgor, Oncology Clinician George Ondera, and Cancer Registrar Margaret Muinde. Discussions centered on optimizing the use of NCI-K’s NaCaRe-ke system to enhance cancer case reporting.
Sr. Rita reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to data-driven healthcare, noting that cancer remains a major public health challenge in Kenya. “Timely reporting is vital to improving survival rates and providing quality treatment options,” she said, pledging deeper collaboration with NCI-K in research, monitoring, and evaluation.
Oncology staff shared challenges in data collection, including workload and digital system gaps. Proposed solutions included capacity building, improved digitization, and stronger linkages between hospital records and the national registry.
Mr. Chang’wony lauded the hospital’s progress in building a robust oncology unit and assured continued technical support and training.
The partnership is seen as a critical step toward aligning patient-centered cancer care with Kenya’s broader goal of strengthening cancer surveillance .
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