Cancer Institute takes over radiotherapy unit
Sep 11, 2014
Cancer patients in need of radiotherapy treatment will now be treated from the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI). Previously such patients would be referred to Mulago Hospital for radiotherapy services.
By Violet Nabatanzi
KAMPALA - Cancer patients in need of radiotherapy treatment will now be treated from the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI). Previously such patients would be referred to Mulago Hospital for radiotherapy services.
Dr. Baterana Byarugaba, the executive director of Mulago Hospital, said all cases of cancers that require chemotherapy and radiotherapy will be handled by the UCI while Mulago will manage cancer cases that require surgery.
The Radiotherapy Unit serves about 120 cancer patients daily, with some patients coming from as far as Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania.
Before, UCI was handling chemotherapy treatment while radiotherapy was managed by Mulago. And as Byarugaba later said, government decided that services which do the same function be put together.
Meanwhile, Dr. Jackson Orem, who is the executive director of UCI said putting radiotherapy under the cancer institute is timely, coming at a time when cancer services are crucial in Uganda.
“This comes at a right time because getting radiotherapy treatment from Mulago was inconveniencing the patients,” he said.
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The executive director Mulago hospital Dr. Baterana Byarugaba hands over the keys to the radiotherapy unit to the executive director of Uganda Cancer Institute. PHOTO/Violet Nabatanzi
The executive director Mulago hospital Dr. Baterana Byarugaba hands over the keys to the radiotherapy unit to the executive director of Uganda Cancer Institute. PHOTO/Violet Nabatanzi
On his part, Mulago’s Byarugaba pointed out that despite the reforms, the doctors, nurses and radiographers who have been managing the radiotherapy machine – which is critical in administering radiotherapy to cancer patients – will remain the same.
“There is some equipment including the cobalt machine which Mulago had purchased under the African Development Bank loan. When they are brought we will hand them over to the cancer institute.”
Currently cases of cancers are on the rise, with cervical cancer reported as the commonest form of cancer among women, followed by breast cancer.
The high incidence is blamed on the poor health-seeking culture among Ugandans who often turn up late when the particular cancer is in advanced stages.
Last year, Dr. Fred Okuku a consultant oncologist at Mulago Hospital said that in the last three years, the number of cancer patients shot up from 1,200 to 2,800 with over 60% of the patients presenting advanced cases of the diseases.
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