By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Healthcare specialists have called for stronger public-private partnerships to address the growing burden of cancer management in Uganda amid rising cases and deaths linked to the disease.
According to the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), Uganda registers about 34,008 new cancer cases and 22,992 cancer-related deaths annually, with many patients seeking treatment at advanced stages due to limited awareness, myths, stigma and delayed health-seeking behaviour.
Dr Deo Ssenkumba, a medical officer at Aga Khan University Hospital Uganda, said inadequate cancer treatment facilities and the high cost of medicines continue to hinder effective cancer management in the country.
Uganda currently has an estimated 77,028 cancer patients, with 56% of the cases occurring among females, making women and girls more vulnerable to cancers such as cervical and breast cancer, which remain the leading cancers among women. Among men, prostate and oesophagael cancers are the most common, while leukaemia remains prevalent among children below five years.
UCI remains the country’s main specialised centre offering comprehensive cancer treatment services. The institute’s inpatient bed capacity increased from 80 beds in 2015 to 100 in 2023, a situation health experts say is still insufficient compared to the growing number of patients.
“We need public-private partnerships because no single institution can manage all these numbers and the associated costs,” Dr Ssenkumba said.
He noted that the high cost of treatment continues to prevent many patients from accessing timely healthcare, contributing to rising cancer deaths as many report to health facilities when the disease is already in advanced stages.
Dr Ssenkumba urged the public to embrace early cancer screening and preventive measures, especially against cervical cancer.
“Cervical cancer is preventable. Girls below the age of 15 should be vaccinated, while women aged between 35 and 45 should regularly go for cervical and breast cancer screening at least twice a year,” he said.
Health specialists also warned that men above 40 years are at risk of developing prostate cancer and should undergo routine screening.
“Most patients diagnosed with prostate cancer are aged 65 and above, but screening should begin as early as 40 years. The screening is simple and involves a blood test known as PSA,” Dr Ssenkumba explained.
To bridge the gaps in specialised healthcare services, the Aga Khan Development Network, through Aga Khan University Hospital Uganda, is expanding cancer treatment services at its specialised facility in Nakawa and four clinics in Kampala.
Diana Ssewanyana, the senior manager for business and administration at the hospital, said the institution is constructing a 150-bed specialised inpatient facility in Nakawa to improve access to advanced healthcare services, including cancer treatment.
She said the facility is expected to serve not only Ugandans but also patients from neighbouring countries such as Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Comoros and Burundi.
“We want to make Uganda a medical tourism hub in the region. We are already operating four medical centres in Kampala, and our services are affordable and meet the required health standards,” Ssewanyana said.
She added that completion of the new hospital block by 2028 is expected to reduce the cost of Ugandans seeking specialised treatment abroad.
