Republic of Korea donates medical equipment to Uganda Cancer Institute
The donation worth $225,000 (about sh800m) includes items critical for cervical cancer screening, diagnosis and surgical care.
(L-R) Dr Charles Ayoo, Commissioner for Non-Communicable Diseases; Juwang Baik; Dr Nixon Niyonzima; Dr James Ocakacon, Senior Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health; Dr Alfred Jatho of UCI; and Allan Aboce, Assistant Secretary, pose for a photo during the handover of medical equipment. (Courtesy)
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In an effort to strengthen cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis and care, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), through the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH), has donated medical equipment to the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI).
The donation worth $225,000 (about sh800m) includes items critical for cervical cancer screening, diagnosis and surgical care.
These include: a radical hysterectomy instrument set, a portable ultrasound machine with intra-abdominal biopsy guides, a medical HD video endoscope, an audiometry screening machine and four autoclave sterilisation units.
Other items in the package are: 2,000 HPV DNA test cartridges, 2,000 units of HPV DNA collection media, 2,000 cervical brush devices, Pap smear kits and other supplies for cancer screening and infection prevention and control.
During the handover ceremony at UCI on August 18, Dr Nixon Niyonzima, Head of Research and Training at UCI, explained that the endoscopy and colonoscopy equipment will support the screening and diagnosis of cancers of the digestive system.
Noting that cancers of the colon and rectum are among the 10 most common cancers in Uganda, Niyonzima said that, "with endoscopy we look for cancers of the stomach and oesophagus in the upper digestive system, while in the lower digestive system, we look for cancers of the colon and rectum."
He said the new equipment will enable health workers to diagnose cancers earlier and intervene promptly.
“If somebody has symptoms, we can look inside and see whether the cancer is starting, diagnose it early and intervene early. If we detect these cancers early, the chances of cure are much, much greater.
Cervical cancer is a curable cancer, and there are many initiatives aimed at preventing and treating it. Screening is an important part of these efforts,” Niyonzima said.
Cancer burden in Uganda
UCI, together with Uganda’s regional cancer centres, sees close to 12,000 new cancer patients every year. About 9,000 are treated at Mulago, between 1,500 and 1,800 at the Mbarara Regional Cancer Centre, and slightly more than 1,000 at the Gulu Regional Cancer Centre. Together, these centres account for about 33% of all new cancer cases reported in the country.
The donation forms part of the broader CANCAP-UG Project, which aims to strengthen cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment services across UCI-supported health facilities in Uganda.