Registry
The registry was established in 1999. It is located in the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Moi University, Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion. The registry records details of all cancer patients diagnosed and treated in hospitals of Eldoret town, and aims to be population-based for the district of Uasin Gishu, in the Rift Valley Region of Kenya (pop. 2009: 894,179). As well as the Director (Dr N. Buziba), the registry has three registrars, Gladys Chesumbai , Jacqueline Gavana, and Jane Chepkosgei. Because of shortage of funds in the last 6 years, the staff work only part time basis on registry duties. Case-finding uses three types of source: hospital records departments, pathology and death certificates.
Team
From left to right: Dr. Nathan Buziba - E.C.R Director and H.O.D Haematology & Blood Transfusion Department; Ms. Gladys Chesumbai - E.C.R Registrar, CanReg 5 Consultant; Ms. Jacky Gavana - E.C.R Registrar; Ms. Jane Chepkosgei - Registrar and Dept. Secretary
Contact address:
The Eldoret Cancer Registry,
Moi University School of Medicine,
Department of Haematology Blood Transfusion,
PO BOX 4606 30100
Eldoret, Kenya.
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Source of Data
The largest hospital is Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital which also acts as the Province General Hospital. Cases are identified from the disease index (completed by records staff in ICD-10) and details of cases abstracted from case records onto a registry form. The registrars also visits private hospitals (Eldoret, Elgon View, Medi-Heal Fertility Hospital, St. Lukes and Reale Hospital) and the Eldoret Hospice at regular intervals to identify cancer cases, although because of financial constraints, visits were widely spaced in recent years. There is only one public pathology lab. Serving the District (in Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital), with four pathologists and 2 private pathology labs. The registrar abstracts details of all cancer diagnoses (address is usually unavailable). Haematological malignancies are all diagnosed by the registry director and his junior- Dr. Lotodo (Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion).
Death registration is virtually universal (home deaths should also be autopsied, but this is a rare event). The death certificate may not be issued for some weeks after death, however. Deaths at home are certified by the village chief, based on relatives’ assessments, and are of very questionable accuracy (often just “cancer”).
Cases are coded in the registry, and data entry and management is by CANREG-5. By January 2013, some 16,000 cases had been registered, about one half of which are in residents of Uasin Gishu district.
Registry area
The population of Uasin Gishu district was 894,179 at the 2009 census:448,994 Males and 445,185Females.
Major Towns in Uasin Gishu County
Eldoret:
Situated some 330 km northwest of Nairobi, Eldoret is the largest city and the administrative capital of Uasin Gishu County. With urban population estimated at 289,380, Eldoret is among the fastest growing cities in Kenya.
Moi’s Bridge:
Located some 40 km north of Eldoret along Eldoret – Kitale road, Moi’s bridge is a small yet an important agricultural town. Moi’s bridge has urban population of about 15,000 and serves the neighboring Soy Township.
Burnt Forest:
Sited some 35 kilometers to Eldoret, Burnt Forest is the first major town as you approach Eldoret from Nairobi. The town is believed to be founded on a section of burnt forest in early 40’s sticking with the name to date.
Turbo:
Turbo is a small agricultural town located about 31 km west of Eldoret town along Eldoret -Webuye road, having an urban population of less than 10,000.
Results
Publication
Tenge CN, Kuremu RT, Buziba NG, Patel K, Were PA. Burden and pattern of cancer in Western Kenya. East Afr Med J. 2009 Jan;86(1):7-10.