In Kilifi County, Kenya, a quiet but consequential shift has taken place: a dedicated chemotherapy centre opened in June 2025 at the county referral hospital, ending the long and costly pilgrimages cancer patients once made to Mombasa for treatment. For those already burdened by illness, the distance between a person and their care has always carried a moral weight — one that devolved healthcare is now beginning to lift. The centre is both a practical remedy and a symbol of what becomes possible when specialized medicine moves closer to the communities that need it most.
Kilifi opens first chemotherapy centre, ending costly Mombasa journeys for cancer patients
Cancer patients previously faced financial toxicity from travel costs and accommodation while seeking treatment in distant cities, delaying care and worsening outcomes.