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By Omondi Rodgers
Busia- men in Busia County have been urged to undergo breast cancer screening to promote early detection and treatment, even as patients raise concerns about stigma, high medical costs, and the lack of specialised cancer treatment facilities in the county.
Speaking during the Bare for a Reason Run, held in Busia town to raise breast cancer awareness, County Cancer Focal Person Maureen Epalat said men are also at risk. Two of the 26 breast cancer cases recorded in the county in 2025 involved men.
“Breast cancer affects men too. In Busia County in 2025, we recorded two cases out of 26. This year, the county has been recording a maximum of three cases monthly. The ratio of breast cancer in women to men is 100:1, which shows that men can also be affected,” she said.
Epalat said awareness campaigns had encouraged more people to seek screening, leading to cases being detected earlier and fewer diagnoses at stage four.
“Previously, many people were diagnosed at an advanced stage, the majority at stage three. But through awareness and the efforts of health workers, we are seeing people coming willingly to be screened. We have diagnosed people at stages one, two, and three, while stage four diagnoses have reduced,” she said.
She urged residents to get screened early, noting that timely diagnosis could lower treatment costs and improve survival chances.
“Screening is better because it is cheaper and affordable. When cancer is diagnosed late, treatment is complex. Early diagnosis helps us combat cancer because treatment is done on time, saving lives and reducing costs,” she said.
Epalat also linked the rise in some cancer cases to lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption and smoking, and urged residents to adopt healthier habits.
“Breast cancer is the leading cancer, followed by cervical and prostate cancer. The emerging cases on the increase in the county are esophageal cancer, because of lifestyle, including drinking alcohol and smoking. A change in lifestyle can help reduce some cancer cases in society,” she said.
Busia County Health Services Coordinator Emmanuel Luvai called for intensified public education to encourage more men to get screened, noting that their turnout remains low.
“There is a need to do more sensitisation on the risk of breast cancer so that everyone in the community comes out to be screened, eliminates the risk and starts treatment early when diagnosed. According to the statistics, the number of men who turn up for breast cancer screening is too low, as many remain reluctant to be screened,” he said.
Meanwhile, breast cancer patients decried the high cost of treatment and the lack of adequate specialised facilities in Busia, which forces them to travel to neighbouring counties for care.
George Ojiambo, a breast cancer patient, said travelling to Kakamega, Eldoret and Kisumu for treatment had made the process expensive and difficult. He called on the county government to establish better cancer treatment facilities.
“We are accessing cancer treatment from as far as Kakamega, Eldoret and Kisumu, which is far and costly for us. We are calling on the county government to set up better cancer treatment facilities in the county so that we can access treatment easily,” he said.
Ojiambo also described the stigma patients face after diagnosis, saying misconceptions about the disease had led some community members to avoid them.
“When diagnosed with cancer, life becomes difficult in society because of the changes that happen to our bodies. We are forced to stay indoors, away from the community, because people fear that close association with us will lead to them being affected. There is a myth rooted in society that once you are found to have cancer, you will die, and this has made many people afraid to come out and be screened,” he said.
Philadacia Tata, a mother of one who was diagnosed with breast cancer, said the high cost of treatment and the need to seek care outside the county had made her journey hard.
“It was shocking news to me and everyone around me. The journey has not been easy because treatment is expensive, as we have to get it outside the county. As we continue to create awareness about breast cancer, let everyone come out to be screened so that they know their health. Cancer isn’t age-specific; anyone can be diagnosed with it,” she said.
She Vibes Community Director Olivia Otieno, whose organisation conducted the awareness run, said the initiative aimed to encourage more people to get screened and to keep using services at health facilities.
“We have many women who are not getting screened. The run was meant to bring many women to get screened today and in the days that follow at our health facilities, because early detection saves lives. About 100 people came for the run, while more than 200 came for screening,” she said.
