Patients from Meru who require biopsy for cancer treatment will no longer need to travel to Nairobi as has been the case, after Meru County Government today opened the first ever Cancer Histopathology Laboratory at Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital (MeTRH) during a ceremony presided over by County First lady Madam Priscilla Murungi and attended by Chief Executive Officer for International Cancer Institute (ICI), Prof Fredrick Chite Asirwa.

Madam Murungi hailed the move as a great relief to the people of Meru because in the past, biopsy tests had to be sent to Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi where it took months before the results came back but will now take a week at the newly established MeTRH Lab. She added that this will greatly reduce the high expenses that were being incurred by patients for travel and accommodation to Nairobi for the tests.

Prof. Chite noted the lab will also serve other counties in the region, and lauded the collaboration between ICI and Governor Kiraitu Murungi’s administration, adding that the Institute will offer full support to the upcoming Cancer Research Institute at MeTRH.