KAMPALA – Uganda will start treating over 400 cancer patients daily a move that will to reduce on the backlog of several cases that need treatment for cancer.
This comes after the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) embarked on the installation of the linear accelerator machine which will supplement on the current cobolt machine which is treating close to 800 people daily.
The multi billion equipment purchased by the Government of Uganda for the Uganda Cancer institute is part of President Musevenis pledge to equip hospitals and laboratories with imaging and diagnostic equipment to help doctors carry out proper diagnosis, save more lives and at the same time reduce money spent by Ugandans traveling abroad for medical treatment.
DR Jackson Orem, the Executive director UCI which is a regional center of excellence said, “Through close collaboration with partners ,they are working hard to fasten the administration of treatment of cancer so as to reduce pain and death.”
He added,“Once the machine starts operation in December 2020, cancer Treatment will greatly improve as this machine provides image guided stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy with high precision to treat tumours and lesions in various parts of the body, including lungs, breasts, head, and neck.”
Cancer accounts for at least 5 per cent (353,000 people) of the national deaths annually, according to UCI.
In 2016, cancer cases were at 4,000 and 4,500 in 2017.
Last year , UCI treated close to 7000 new cancer patients at both UCI and Mbarara Regional Cancer Centre.
Data at the Uganda Cancer Registry indicates that 32,617 new cases of cancer were registered in 2018.
Recently, experts urged East African governments to commit more funds to the fight against cancer.
The appeal comes as statistics reveal worrying trends of the disease prevalence in the region.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Cancer Research, cancer cases worldwide are expected to increase by 75% in the next two decades.
