IS WEED KILLER KILLING YOU INSTEAD?
In November 2018, a Judge in San Francisco, California agreed with the plaintiff Dwayne Johnson that RoundUp (a weed killer containing Glyphosate) had caused cancer on his entire body in the case Johnson v Monsanto. He was working as a gardener for a school district for 3 years where he was responsible for spraying RoundUp and sometimes he would be drenched in it. The doctors had given him a few months to live as 80% of his body was covered by cancerous lesions. [1]
After Mr. Johnson was awarded $78M, Bayer Crop Science’s spokesperson released an email statement to NPR stating in part “…we continue to believe that the liability verdict and damages awards are not supported by evidence at the trial or the law and plan to file an appeal…” [1] A few months before this ruling, Monsanto, the Company that made RoundUp was acquired by the German Multinational Bayer. However, RoundUp was expected to remain as a brand and even if the brand was to disappear, the active ingredient Glyphosate in Weed Killers would definitely be in different brands. As of August 2018, more than 8,000 lawsuits had come up in the U.S. claiming that RoundUp caused cancer on the individual suing or their deceased family members. [2]
CANCER CASES RISE AT AN ALARMING RATE IN KENYA
15,000km from San Francisco, a crisis is looming and the response has been panic, helplessness and fighting fires. Nyandarua County is known to be very fertile. That fertility is not evident in the produce only but in weeds that spring up ruthlessly. Farmers in this county consider weed killers a miracle and a solution to the persistent weeds. The use of weed killer in this county by small scale farmers is recent, as is everywhere else in Kenya. Coincidentally, farmers in Nyandarua have been grappling with cancer at an alarming rate which is also a new phenomenon in the area. Former County Women’s Rep is all too familiar with the crisis. In May 2015, she helped raise Ksh 10 million to build Ksh.1 Billion Cancer Center at Miharati, Kipipiri. [3] I was shocked to learn from a local veterinarian that cows are being disposed to the slaughter house with strange cancers which he has only seen in huge numbers in the last 5 years. Is it possible that cancer cases have risen in Nyandarua County necessitating such huge cancer treatment center due to something they have adapted recently? Could Glyphosate based Weed Killers like RoundUp be the culprit just like in the California’s case, as it’s entered their faming practice only in the recent past? Could the cows be getting cancerous because of contaminated drinking water flowing from trenches that drain the soil to prevent water logging in Kipipiri?
Cancer is not confined to Nyandarua County but is wreaking havoc in Nyeri, Meru, Embu, Nakuru, Eldoret among other regions in Kenya.
Governer Mutahi Kahiga of Nyeri is also familiar with cancer crisis in Nyeri. In February 2018, he was in Nyeri County Referral Hospital when the facility launched free cancer screening. [4] Besides the high usage of Weed Killers in the county, some farmers in Nyeri are spraying maturing onions with Weed Killers to dry them quickly so that the entire crop is harvested and transported in one shipment thereby saving cost. The public will be shocked to know that this practice is applied elsewhere to dry up wheat and barley right before harvest. [5] Is Glyphosate in Weed Killersresponsible for increased cancer cases in Nyeri too?
In June 2015, Meru County government started a cancer awareness programme after it was noted that 15% of all cancer cases referred to Kenyatta National Hospital were from Meru. At the time, the County government was planning to build a Ksh. 700 Million Cancer Treatment Center. [6] Further West, my friend from Eldoret who lives in New Zealand visited home in 2017 after 3 years absence and was shocked at the rate of cancer centers that have cropped up in her home town. This is collaborated by The Head of Oncology and Physiotherapy at Moi Teaching and Referral hospital in Eldoret who reported that cancer cases were rising at alarming rate in the area; 5000 cancer referral cases annually since 2016. [7] Eldoret produces cereals including wheat, barley and maize. Again, Weed killers are used heavily here to control weeds in Wheat and Maize farms. Is Glyphosate based Weed Killers responsible for the raise of cancer in Meru and Eldoret too?
It indisputable that cancer is on the rise in Kenya.
ARE WE JUST FIGHITING FIRES? SHOULD THERE BE AN URGENT CONCURENT EFFORT TO ESTABLISH THE SOURCE OF THE RISING CANCER CASES?
It’s obvious that these places have something in common. They are farming communities and their hospitals are overwhelmed by new cancer cases. It is also true that widespread use of weed killer to control weeds is fairly new in Kenya especially with small scale farmers. The response by both National and respective Country leadership has been cancer screening and advocating for more and bigger cancer centers. This is expected of politicians since it easier to get reelected if people can point to a building that they helped build. The building also provides handy political optics to cement legacy and eternal fame. But is screening only enough? Should the solution to this emerging threat be building “modern” cancer centers? Should we only focus on treating or should we find out the source of cancer and nip it in the bud? Are Glyphosate based Weed Killers killing us instead?
To illustrate our current approach; let’s say there was a new cooking gas pipeline just installed in a populated estate. A few years later, the residents are shocked as every other day there is an explosion somewhere in the estate which is maiming and killing the young and old and devastating their neighborhood. The resident reports that these explosions are always preceded by the unmistakable smell of cooking gas. Would it be right if their leaders immediately started raising funds to build Fire Stations to help in FIGHTING FIRES? Would you be shocked if they also wanted to build Burns Treatment Centers to cater for the victims? Aren’t you thinking they just need to turn off the gas and fix the leaking pipes? Don’t you think this is common sense thing to do first? Unfortunately, this FIGHTING-FIRES approach is what we have chosen in Kenya in regard to the rise of Cancer cases?
The right approach is the one employed in Public Health. I will briefly define the model; If rescue workers took drowning victims to a hospital to be treated, the hospital would tend to them but would not be concerned with why they drowned in the first place, even if dozens others continue to flock its wards. Leaders here would advocate for building bigger Accident and Trauma Centers and procuring more Ambulances. In Public Health Practice, the common sense question should be; Why, where and how did they drown? They would quickly discover that a bridge upstream of where the victims were being rescued from was broken. People have been driving into the river and washed downstream half-conscious with traumatic injuries from being banged on the rocks. They would fix the bridge and simultaneously fix the flow of patients permanently, saving lives. Why are National and County leaders not invested in fixing the bridge or at least find out if it’s broken upstream in regards to cancer?
CALIFORNIA LISTS GLYPHOSATE AS A CARCINOGEN
Why are we not making it a priority to embark in an investigative quest to establish if a link exists between increased cancer cases with use of Weed Killers especially in our farming regions? Others have made the link. In March 2015, International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC- (World Health Organization) made this link; it classified Glyphosate (active ingredient in different brands of Weed Killers) “as probable carcinogenic to humans and a strong evidence for genotoxicity for pure glyphosate and glyphosate formulations.” In other words, IARC states that, ”The probability of developing a cancer depend on factors such as the type and extent of exposure and the strength of the effect of the agent (Glyphosate).”[8]The Agency’s goal post Glyphosate classification is, “to help regulators and the public understand the potential for risk and to reduce exposure” [8] In 2017, California had required Monsanto to put a label on RoundUp warning consumers that it causes cancer but that requirement was halted by a Federal Judge. [9] In a separate case however, California was allowed to list Glyphosate (active ingredient in RoundUp and other Weed Killers) as Cancer Causing Chemical and listed this on California Environmental Protection Agency’s website to warn the public. [10]
Why are we ONLY focused on cancer equipment and centers when the world of science elsewhere is pointing to the obvious suspect? For the politician at least, if they fixed the bridge they would not need to build the hospital and there is no way of taking credit or bragging about cancer that you prevented from happening as it’s not visual like a building. In other words, the politician would invest his efforts in building hospitals or bringing in new cancer equipment in already existing hospitals as this provide visible political mileage. In fact, both National and County Politicians never miss such a photo-op when such hospital is being launched or when new cancer equipment are brought in. I want to see them taking pictures with test tubes instead, if they must take credit.
On the other hand, the Investor, Equipment and Chemo Drugs Supplier (none of which of course is sourced in Kenya) are ill placed to advocate for the bridge to be fixed. In fact, they are likely to sponsor free cancer screenings which in their boardrooms is referred to as market feasibility study. They make sure that the politician is present to take credit for the free screening as he is the decision maker when it comes to funding the existing hospital to procure equipment, chemo drugs and oncology services. It is possible that the politician may be oblivious of the Supplies’ or Investor’s motive. It also likely he is fully appraised but turns a blind eye when he financially incentivized. In other words, the politician is either oblivious or compromised and the investor/supplier is laden with conflict of interest to help us solve this malignant calamity.
Likewise, it’s foolhardy to expect the suspect to help you with establishing the cause, he will point you to the convicts. Tobacco is a convict but there’s no evidence that smoking has gone up in farming communities in Kenya. Aflatoxins are convicted but cereals’ farming is not a new practice in Kenya and thus does not explain the new cancer rates explosion. Calcium carbide is a jailbird but the urban population is at a higher risk due to artificially ripened fruits than the farming communities. In a figure of speech, let’s handle one case at a time and focus on this suspect that California, U.S. has listed as cancer causing chemical as is IARC-World Health Organization with caveats.
Kenya and Africa is paying heavily for this myopic approach to preventable diseases like cancer. First, there is an untold pain and suffering by our fellow human beings when cancer strikes. There is the emotional toll on family members as they helplessly watch their loved ones waste away regardless of whatever medical interventions they try, not to mention the financial burden weighing on them. The government tells them to get NHIF card instead of find out what’s killing us. The right to health does not only mean that we should have access to healthcare but the government is obligated to keep our air, water and food free of poisons and pollutants. Secondly, farming employs majority of Kenyans and thus is the largest contributor to our economy. Each farmer we lose means that our economic output will inevitably decline. But the Cancer Investor/Supplier will tell you “better” jobs will be created elsewhere to pick up the slack. They will tell you that more doctors, nurses and technicians will be needed and therefore more schools and teachers training them and the economy will do just fine. This is what I call Disease Capitalism in my book Dollar Altar, where the economy thrives on the backs of the sick and the dying.
I am saying that we shouldn’t find a way of treating those already sick. Not in the least. Kenyatta National Hospital and devolved referral facilities should be equipped with sufficient diagnostic and treatment equipment congruent to the population they serve. But if we don’t fix the pipes leaking with cooking gas, we will keep building more fire stations but the explosions will persist. Remember CANCER IS PREVENTABLE, and thus we need to do proper research to establish the link between Glyphosate in Weed Killers and rising cancer cases in Kenya. We might agree with California that Glyphosate causes cancer and help World Health Organization state in definite terms what it currently classify as probable (it’s 2nd highest rating) and save millions of lives while at it.[8][9]
A CALL TO ACTION
GOVERNMENTAL AND INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
All public health officials attached to hospitals and health centers nationwide should be mandated to collect targeted information for ALL cancer patients and report the findings to the ministry of health for centralization and analysis to paint the National picture regarding Glyphosate. Both Local and National raw data and findings should be available to the public.
The questionnaire should find out the following:-
Whether the cancer patient is a farmer and/ or she has used Glyphosate based Weed Killers preceding the illness would be the first step. If the first questions is answered in the affirmative, after obtaining patient demographics, the questionnaire would proceed to established, first year of use, the duration, quantity and frequency of use. What kind of cancer they have? When did they start experience the symptoms? If they were wearing protective masks and clothes when spraying. Of importance also would be to find out if they sprayed on or near kitchen gardens where they are likely to harvest vegetables for use the same day. Did they spray it on crops or vegetable just before harvesting or taking produce to the market? What do they grow and where do they sell their produce?
Kenya Medical Research Institute should be mandated to carry out a focused randomized study in all farming counties, (to avoid dilution from counties where cancer is not prevalent) testing for Glyphosate level in blood (from people and livestock), tap water, well water, borehole water, rivers, creeks, soil, and food (Cereals, Fruits, Vegetables and Fish.) Genotoxicity studies pre and post spray studies should be carried out in the same effort of solving this problem. This should be done within six months and reported to the public.
THE CHURCH & CONSUMER GROUPS
Churches and Consumer Groups should also do their independent studies. An organized church can decide to do research within one county or constituency where it’s located. It might even choose to focus on Glyphosate level in drinking water, soil, or Glyphosate blood level in people and/or livestock within area of study. They obviously should recruit professional services to do the actual testing but they can volunteer for planning and logistical work. A church organization may be endowed with myriad of professionals who can create a committee and guide these toxicological studies, soil and water analysis or epidemiological studies and formulate an independent evidence-based report that will help Heal Our Land.
PERSONAL RESPONSBILITY/ WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW
As we wait for those we have employed in above institutions and those we trust to advocate for us to do a broad scientific and meticulous study of the problem in Kenya. We can use our cellphones and collect part of the information today. I have created a survey form which can help you and I gather this information. I only ask for you to fill out the form ONLY if the cancer patient (alive or deceased) has or did use, spray or came into contact with Weed Killers containing Glyphosate (a list of different brands will be provided on the questionnaire). Click the link below and fill out the questions; at the end you will see summary charts and text results from other respondents.
Please note that the information will also be available to the public. To avoid duplication, only 1 response is required for 1 patient (person diagnosed with cancer) ; meaning if you are filling the form check with your family members if they have already filled out the form for the patient or if the patient already filled the form himself/herself. Don’t be in a hurry to fill out the form, gather all the information first and fill out the form. Here is the link: –
https://goo.gl/forms/tTHeiqoFdJ4xkDjD3
LET’S NIP CANCER IN THE BUD
Fire Stations and Burn Centers are not the solution, let’s fix the leaking pipes. Trauma Centers and more ambulances are not the solution, let’s fix the broken Bridge. Bigger Cancer Centers and more Cancer Equipment is not the only solution, let us stop this malignant carnage at the source!!!
The Writer, Robert Mwangi is the Author of the books; Money Circles, Five Fingers and Dollar Altar. He is a Clinician with Bachelor of Science in Nursing and also holds an MBA in Finance.
FURTHER READING
- National Radio Corporation, Groundskeeper Accepts Reduced $78 Million Award In Monsanto Cancer Suit: https://www.npr.org/2018/11/01/662812333/groundskeeper-accepts-reduced-78-million-in-monsanto-cancer-suit Accessed 2/24/2019
- Reuters, Bayer’s Monsanto Sued By, 8000 Plaintiffs On Glyphosate: https://www.reuters.com/article/bayer-glyphosate-lawsuits/bayers-monsanto-sued-by-8000-plaintiffs-on-glyphosate-idUSL8N1VE3W0 Accessed 2/24/2019
- Daily Nation, Study: Cancer Cases Rise At An Alarming Rate: https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Cancer-Kenya-Study-JAMA-Oncology/1056-2735768-hpldi5z/index.html Accessed 2/24/2019
- The Star, Free Screening for Cancer In Nyeri Hospitals: https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2018/02/17/free-screening-for-cancer-in-nyeri-hospitals_c1715895 Accessed 2/24/2019
- Eco Watch, Why Is Glyphosate Sprayed On Crops Right Before Harvest: https://www.ecowatch.com/roundup-cancer-1882187755.html Accessed 2/24/2019
- Daily Nation, Meru Cancer Surge Blamed on Cereals: https://www.nation.co.ke/counties/meru/Meru-Cancer-Patients-Health-Executive/1183302-2763120-vslbarz/index.html Accessed 2/24/2019
- Media Max, Rising Case of Cancer In Eldoret Raise Alarm: http://www.mediamaxnetwork.co.ke/231200/rising-cases-of-cancer-in-eldoret-raise-alarm/ Accessed 2/24/19
- IARC – WHO, IARC Monograph on Glyphosate: https://www.iarc.fr/featured-news/media-centre-iarc-news-glyphosate/ Accessed 2/24/19
- California Environmental Protection Agency. https://oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/chemicals/glyphosate Accessed 2/24/19
- Common Dreams, ‘Win for Science and Democracy’ as Court Rules California Can List Glyphosate as Probable Carcinogen” https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/04/20/win-science-and-democracy-court-rules-california-can-list-glyphosate-probable Accessed 3/2/2019
Very critical information for all our people'lets tackle the issue from source as you aptly put it, Kenyans should wake up¬ feign ignorance,politicians are part of the problem cos of the endemic nature corruption in our Nation.
Thank you for this informative piece. For a long time I've feared for the round up use especially after reading about the Monsanto cases. Imho there's definitely a direct link. We shouldn't continue treating the symptoms/cancers with no regard to the probable cause!
Your research and perspective is true. The endemic nature of our political landscape cannot allow building bridges or sealing leaking pipes. Your good research may finally end up gathering dust in some government office... No-one in the current Kenyan political system is ready to open and practical ideas as you seem to present... Let's wait for a future practical and visionary leader !!!??
The joke about lack of a reading culture in Kenya still holds. Do we read the manuals and/or instruction sheets that come with these technologies? And even when and if we do, do we comprehend them? Language is an important factor in these technologies for then, the Kenya farmer and subsequently the consumer will be forewarned and informed prior to utilizing these technologies that have been shown to contribute to such ailments such as cancer.
Lack of awareness on usage of chemicals for instance use of chlorine in drinking water from borehole and streams,most at times people buy the chemical,pour in the drinking water with no regard for the amounts required hence taking chemicals in excess.The country should wake up to Public awareness on usage of chemicals by it's Citizens,since the use of chemicals are part and parcel of our lives.
Very useful information. Would be interested in hearing what you think can be legislated in above actions.
Mask (MP)the committee of Agriculture does not need new research when the same has been proven in Califonia. We just need to pay a visit and legislate.
A well written article exploring personal believe on etiology if cancer in Kenya. From onset, we need to understand etiology is different from association. In kenya, the leading types of cancer are throat and breast cancer. Are these caused by insecticides? It is evident there is spatial distribution of cancer in kenya with some counties having high incidences. But has any serious research been done to understand the etiology of these cases? For example, can we show presence of these insecticides in the blood system of these cases? Would insecticides cause breast, ovary, throat, colon, prostate cancers that are very high in Kenya? Until we go to basic science, of taking samples from the case, analyse in lab and present sufficient evidence of the etiology, diagnosis of cancer will remain a death sentence in kenya.
It's very true we aren't addressing the causes and prevention of cancer. There are several culprits as u have stated including high pollution of our foods, water and air. Food growing practices u have stated in your article, cooking processes like overcooking by recycling oils by restaurants that sell chips, broiler chickens, etc. Some restaurants use transformer oil to fry chips for example and other foods! Most of our foods are heavily contaminated in the farms using mainly chemical pesticides to kill weeds and boosts harvests. Some foods are grown in sewerage. All these cause food poisoning which kill us slowly but surely. Our water treatment plants are a disgrace. When I collect water from main Nairobi Water company piped to my house, it's highly polluted...not safe for our bodies. Our air is heavily polluted.... fumes from motor vehicles, some emitting CO (carbon monoxide....some mixed with sulphides from sulpher diesel sold locally, are highly poisonous), NEMA and our Police don't care or give a damn. Industrial waste materials all over our rivers.....since Muchuki left nobody cares.....the list is inexhaustible....... Bananas and other fruits/foods forced to ripen using chemicals instead of naturally.... All these add to our agony. When will we start to address these anomalies??? I have been in Rwanda, the broilers aren't served in nearly all restaurants and instead they embrace local chicken (kienyeji). Roico Mchuzi mix is a well known throat cancer causing food additive yet still sold in Kenya, why? Some responsible people should take it up and have such food additives banned. Maybe our policians can do it for us. There are many other causes of various diseases that we need to address. If we employed researchers to dig dipper into these causes we can save our population today. Chinese come up with plastic rice, fake foods, all in the name of making quick bucks in our country, we eat meat infected with chemicals to preserve them.....it's unfortunate we're killing each other in broad day light. In developed world vehicle exhaust emissions are monitored and pollution is controlled. Is it hard for us to do follow this system? It'd cost very little effort....and save many lives.
This is a great information and way forward against cancer casualties. Am an organic farmer doing advocacy for adoption of the natural unconventional agricultural practices to reduce chemicals in our food chains. Am introducing organic farming in local secondary schools, in fact we call it Green Growth, because we stress on recycling of waste plastics and use of renewable energy, in Homa Bay County.
Good initiative, keep it up.
Nice and informative article. We need to find out what is really causing the cancer epidemic and address the causes rather than just treating the disease after people have become ill.
This is the greatest hope I have gotten on cancer, that we can work on the cause and wipe it. Be blessed and continue informing us.
We must act now like yesterday and stop this herbicide weed control and revert back to manual and mechanical control.
What an insight.Yes indeed let burn round up and all carcinogenic weed killere.even gramoxon
Very well researched and written, thank you. I just wonder what it will take the Kenyan government to withdraw this ‘monster’ from the shelves otherwise our farmers will continue to use it and more people will die from cancer. Are there alternative weed killers in the market?
This article is an eye opener. I wish those concerned could start to look for the cause before they put much attention on the treatment. Not that treatment isn't necessary but it would be better if they worked on reducing the number of those who might need to use the cancer facilities in the future.
Very insightful.A wake up call. Let act now. In Africa we continue to use harmful chemicals way way much later after they have been banned by developed world. Remember chemical called DDT?
Great writing.What is your contact Mr.Mwangi?
It's high time that we need to fix the problems from the source. We, common mwananchi should stand up and spearhead the campaigns towards eradicating cancer. This is very possible if we join arms and give it a shot off the uvuntu power.
Can weasily also investigate the fertilisers we are using? Thw term phosphate also need to be researched on by the institutions. When we were growing up, we were told that some chemical waste were disposed in Lenya. Can these chemical wastes that were buried or disposed by multinationals several years ago in the Northern Kenya in Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa and Isiolo be also investigated by the authority?
This is very useful information in regard to Cancer scourge.I have an issue with ministry of Agriculture for remaining silent after serving us with dangerous cereals and farm products. Should we condemn all the from produce found to have been harvested from glyphosate used farms?
This is an informative read Sir! And I definitely agree with the approach, prevention could turn out to be less expensive than diagnostics and/or curing.
Very informative piece here. So the causes of cancer are wide, but no funding for cancer prevention as it will kill the market for cancer equipments and pain killers. Hopeless world filled with greed
This is eye opening. Thanks for this info. Ready to join you in this campaign. I have lost many of my family members thro cancer. God bless you for this insight and boldness in present such a document.
This is a brilliant and well written article that blew my mind away. I would be super interested in meeting the author.
Thank you. This information is very useful and those professionals in this field should have discovered it much earlier and/or taken action. So many people have died from a preventable disease. Time shouldn't be wasted, act now. The write up makes a lot of sense even for a layman. I am a retired civil service doing small scale farming and I always insist on organic farming for the sake of the health of consumers. Where have medical researchers been. Please send your findings to the government. It's an emergency. Thank you
This is a real food for thought!
Most food we eat nowdays are chemically preserved,some want to preserve it for long,with unkown quantity of chemical they use to avoid making losses in their business. Everything we eat knowdays is chemicaly produced to prevent it from disease hence making us consume the chemicals through the plants because some overdose the plant and harvest before the incubation period for allowing the chemical to drain out of the plant,and because cancer is a slow killing disease it enters our body through plants consumed and start killing us. Lets go back to our virgin food which can be produced without chemicals contacts if it is possible.
Kenya Bureau of Standard (KEBS) should be empowered with capacities to source research engagements that address food related ailments in humans that have origins in the food chains so that safety in food processing is achieved and maintained.
Discovery of the source of cancer will save our country and people.
This is a good article. How do we get the media to get this information. KTN with Okwara discussed this topic last night, I was hoping to hear someone mention agriculture but where. Agriculture and the way we practise it is the one stop shop. If addressed propert; to include soil health; clean water and sanitation; green energy etc; we will have addressed this cancer menace halfway
Very objective and analytical thinking. I admire and support your concern. For sure our medical institutions should now be in researches looking for the cause. This will hit the snake of cancer menance to the head!!
The problem with us is that we vote in the people with Money and not the people with the intellect to solve our problems. Until we change this we are doomed.
You're right. We need great research on the health effects on this glyphosate thing. It can't be that farming area is where there are a lot of cancer cases. This will be found to be one cause. Our government should also be proactive about cancer. The cause of it should be the main thing, we all and the government should focus on. That is the altimate solution. Any other thing is secondary including the so called 22billion heart and cancer centre to be in Karen.
Very well thought through article. Kenya needs to be careful and not fall for the curative interventions that make Pharmaceutical Companies richer as they pump chemo into frail bodies. I agree with the author that we need preventative interventions beginning with a stoppage to malpractices in agriculture and a ban on he use of carcinogenic chemicals in farming. This information should be abridged written in pamphlets in every Kenyan language and distributed to farmers in all 46 counties! Excellent work
Very informative article. I personally believe that the govnt knows all this but does not care. The politicians very busy preparing for 2022. You can see how they are all flocking funerals every week to talk trash. We as Kenyans should take up this challenge and effect the change we want. Let's start by educating the farmers on the dangers of using glyphosate. Let's kill the market for these chemical weed killers. Cancer is an industry that is thriving on us. But united, we can beat it.
Great information and useful for us all.Are those in authority reading? Thank you Mwangi.keep on.
This is a wonderful article, well written, simple language complete with references and suggestions for future research. We have to pick it from here unless we are all supporting “disease capitalism”
Truly eye opening.
Well researched and balanced article on some of predisposing factors for rising cancer cases in Kenya. What worries me most is that the government is very reluctant to regulate and sensitize farmers on what they are producing. Paradoxically, when the same farmers are producing for export markets especially to the EU and USA, they adhere to every GAP as the consequences for not doing so are dare. It's time the government wakes up from its slumber and protect its citizens and tax payers from administering own dose of poison.
Histology is helpful as previously, before starting using artificial fertilizers, we hardly got this sick. In my home area, we used to get a good fruit harvest before we started spraying coffee with cobalt. When we stopped spraying the coffee, some fruit trees that remained started reproducing. You don't need brain surgery to connect the dots.
A great article this is. The first of its kind I've met. Bold and clearly presented. Everyone in Kenya and Africa needs to have this info. Prevention is the way to go. It's unfortunate some people ignore or downplay prevention for their selfish gains. Killing others for money-evil and shameful. Apparently, for us in Kenya, as is for the rest (majority) of Africa, have never taken leadership seriously. Once we hold the vote, we quickly forget that it is a serious decision making tool and relegate it to a community and money profiling tool; then spend years crying and praying for good leadership. We need to support such people as the author of this article with all our resolve and strength. In my view, such people as the author of this article are our only hope. God bless you sir; may this initiative prosper.
Very well written article and good research work. We all need to rally together to stop the source of cancer before it becomes a run-away epidemic. This message should be shared wide in schools, colleges, churches in the villages and in every street corner. I am doing my part in a small way and I hope you are doing yours too. - I made an hour sermon on this topic one Sunday morning few months ago where I taught the congregation how to reinstate and maintain our environment. - I never use weeding chemicals but rather uses natural means. Thanks for writing.
This is a very well researched and thought out paper. And the solutions advocated can be implemented. Keep up the good work Daktari. How I wish your voice can be heard by the powers that be, and acted upon for the sake of the innocent people dying because of cancer.