US-Based Company Varian Opens Cancer Center in Nairobi

Varian, a US-based radiation oncology treatments and software maker has entered the Kenyan market.

The move comes amid the rising population of cancer patients in the country with many preferring to seek treatment abroad, where services are cheaper and advanced.

Varian, which is headquartered in California, has opened an office at Delta Riverside Office Park along Riverside Drive in Nairobi. The company said it will hire sales, service and support staff for the new center, which is also expected to serve cancer patients from other countries within the East African region.

“With the increasing need for advanced cancer treatment in Kenya and the region, we believe it is the right time to establish direct sales and service to assist the oncology care community,” Varian Oncology Systems President Chris Toth said in a statement.

Varian’s medical devices include linear accelerators and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions that require radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy, and brachytherapy.

At least 47,000 new cases of cancer were recorded in Kenya in 2018, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Across all of Africa, over one million new cases were diagnosed last year.