Anytime I have alerted my mom to free cancer screenings, her answer has always been constant. For one, she worries about how free is free – if you know what I mean. “Will it really be free?” secondly; and this has always been her biggest worry, she would ask skeptically, “What if they find something and I can’t afford the treatment?”
Fair enough.
This fear is not limited to my mom. In Kenya, breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among Kenyan women. And yet, many fear even the word cancer itself as the one thing that usually comes to mind when they hear of it is either bankruptcy or death – or both. Their fears are not unfounded, as we all have witnessed people who sold everything they owned, put on their knees begging and still lost their loved ones to this unforgiving monster.
Screening rates in Kenya are still quite low, especially in rural areas because even when people know the risks, the cost of getting checked often feels out of reach.
October is referred globally as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and it is here that our social media timelines are flooded with pink ribbons and hashtags. But for many women like my mom, the conversation is not about awareness but access. Where do you go when you can’t afford a mammogram? What happens after awareness month ends?
Rather than just talk about the disease, I have come up with a list of public hospitals, NGOs and private initiatives that offer free or low-cost screening and diagnosis. Even better, those that offer treatment. The efforts may be scattered, but they are there.
Why “Free” Matters
To be honest, a breast cancer diagnosis can feel like being handed a medical and financial fate. Sure the disease is treatable when caught early, but make no mistake, the average mammogram that costs between KSh 3,000 and 8,000 is still a steep price for families already struggling with food, school fees, rent and everything in between. Let us not even talk about transport costs, consultation fees and the fear of follow-up expenses. When you look at it from that angle, you will understand why early detection often takes a back seat.
According to the MOH, breast cancer accounts for roughly one in every five cancer cases in the country. Sadly, more than half of these cases are detected in the later stages when treatment not only becomes more invasive, but also more expensive. In the stages 3 and 4, survival rates also drop sharply.
The funny thing (not that funny though) about this whole situation is that while most county referral hospitals now possess mammography or ultrasound machines (thanks to the Managed Equipment Service (MES) project launched years ago) the machines sit idle due to a lack of trained technicians or poor maintenance, or even awareness campaigns to bring women through the door.
The Kenya Breast Cancer Action Plan (2021–2025) aims to standardize screening and integrate cancer services into primary healthcare. But implementation remains uneven as rural counties still rely on mobile clinics and NGO-led camps to fill the void.
For a while now, there has been a quiet movement redefining what breast cancer awareness means. This movement is shifting awareness from slogans to services by finding creative ways to bring screening closer to ordinary women – sometimes at no cost at all.
Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral & Research Hospital (KUTRRH) – Breast Care Centre of Excellence
Located in Nairobi County, KUTRRH’s Breast Care Centre offers comprehensive screening and diagnostic services. This includes mammography, ultrasound, imaging-guided biopsy and counselling.
Especially during October, known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the hospital runs open-door screening days where anyone can walk in for free breast exams or discounted mammograms. The centre also provides psychosocial support and links patients to treatment and survivor groups.
kutrrh.go.ke
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching & Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), Kisumu County
You probably didn’t know that JOOTRH, in partnership with the county government, has rolled out free diagnostic services that include biopsy and histopathology testing for vulnerable women. A welcome measure that ensures that a lack of money does not stand between women and early detection.
jootrh.go.ke
ERIC Kenya (Early Recognition Is Critical)
ERIC Kenya runs a nationwide outreach model known as “40-20-40”: 40 % education, 20 % screening, 40 % follow-up.
They organize mobile breast screening camps in under-served counties and ensure those with positive results are guided through the care pathway (from diagnosis to treatment.) earlyrecognitioniscritical.org
CancerFreeWomen Foundation
This Nairobi-based NGO runs the Kenya Breast Cancer Health & Screening Program, offering free clinical breast exams and mammograms to low-income women. The foundation partners with corporates and donors to reach marginalized communities.
cancerfreewomen.org
Africa Cancer Foundation (ACF)
Founded by Dr. Alfred Mutua, ACF organizes mobile cancer screening camps across multiple counties and offers checks for breast, cervical and prostate cancers. They’ve already reached 23 counties, often in collaboration with county health departments and local sponsors.
africacancerfoundation.org
Public Hospitals & County Health Programs
Several counties host free cancer screening days at Level 5 hospitals and health centers during October. These outreach events combine clinical breast exams, cervical cancer screening and health education and make referrals for further testing if the need arises.
You could stay updated by keeping an eye on county government social media pages for up-to-date announcements.
Private Hospital Initiatives
- AAR Hospital (Nairobi): Halved the cost of mammograms and offered free breast exams with pap smears this month.
- Oasis Doctors Plaza, The Greenhouse Mall (Nairobi): Offers free breast and cervical cancer screening days throughout October.
- KAVI Institute / University of Nairobi: Hosts periodic free cancer screening events open to the public.
- Nairobi Women’s Hospital: Provides free breast cancer screenings on Thursdays between 10 am and 4 pm.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month serves as a valuable reminder, but what about the rest of the eleven months?
True progress will come when free screening and treatment programs run year-round, backed by consistent funding and community engagement.
The same way Kenya was able to make routine antenatal care and childhood immunization universal, is the same route it should take when it comes to breast cancer – and other cancers to be honest.
