HER2+ breast cancer cost seven African economies more than KES 1.3 trillion (USD 10 billion) in lost productivity between 2017 and 2023, according to research presented at the 2026 Roche Africa Press Day held in Nairobi on March 4-5.

The findings, unveiled by healthcare company Roche and attributed to a study by the WifOR Institute, cover Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia. Roche said the analysis focused on the economic impact of HER2+ breast cancer, an aggressive subtype the research estimates is responsible for up to 20% of breast cancer cases on the continent.

The event brought together journalists from nine African countries alongside policymakers, economists, health experts and development finance leaders. Discussions centred on the theme “Health is Wealth” and the role of women’s health investment in strengthening health systems and driving economic growth, according to the organisers.

In a keynote address, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Medical Services at the Ministry of Health, Dr Ouma Oluga, called on the media to shape public understanding of health reform. “When a health story is being told, what is most important to portray? Is it what is killing people? Is it the solutions that should stop what is killing people? Or is it the in-between—the administrative, resource, and policy actions that link the two?” Dr Oluga said.

Roche said the WifOR Institute research found that nearly 90% of the productivity losses came from women in their prime working years. The analysis also estimated that every KES 130 (USD 1) invested in innovative breast cancer treatments can generate up to KES 1,607 (USD 12.40) in economic returns, primarily by restoring women’s productivity and enabling longer healthy working lives.

Maturin Tchoumi, Pharma International Area Head for Roche Africa, said the data supports treating health spending as an economic policy lever. “Breast cancer is a rising threat to African societies and economies. The evidence clearly shows that investing in women’s health is not a cost or a social expense, but a powerful economic driver that underpins productivity, resilience, equity, and sustainable growth across the continent,” Tchoumi said.

Beyond productivity, speakers also pointed to structural challenges in cancer care access. Roche said a key theme was closing screening and early diagnosis gaps that contribute to around 77% of African women being diagnosed at later stages of breast cancer, citing a statistic referenced in the press materials.

H.E. Dorothy Nyong’o, First Lady of Kisumu County, Chair of the Africa Cancer Foundation and a member of the Africa Breast Cancer Council, highlighted Kenya’s EMPOWER initiative for breast and cervical cancer. According to Roche, the programme digitises the patient journey through 76 physical and virtual clinics to speed up diagnosis and treatment. Since 2019, EMPOWER has reached over 235,000 women and enabled 3,225 to receive treatment, and has been adopted by the National Cancer Institute of Kenya as a nationally integrated platform, Roche said.

“Tackling breast cancer is not just a moral issue; it’s a strategic choice. Kenya’s EMPOWER initiative highlights how partnership and digital innovation can create a step-change in women’s healthcare. It offers a blueprint to other African countries for public-private collaboration that drives systemic, equitable, and lasting change,” Nyong’o said.

For Kenya’s business landscape, the analysis reinforces the link between non-communicable disease outcomes and labour force participation, particularly for women who make up a significant share of the formal and informal workforce. The claims also add momentum to policy conversations around financing diagnostics, expanding early screening, and integrating cancer services into primary healthcare—areas that can influence healthcare spending priorities, insurance coverage, and workforce productivity.

Roche said other initiatives discussed at the Nairobi meeting included pilot Women’s Integrated Care Services in Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, efforts to build sustainable diagnostic and laboratory networks for pandemic preparedness, and increased emphasis on African-led science such as genomics and local research.

Roche and participating stakeholders did not announce specific funding commitments at the event in the materials provided, but the company positioned the research as an input for future public-private partnership models and health system investment decisions.