Nsambya Hospital receives sh1.4b cancer equipment

Cancer patients can now access advanced breast and cervical cancer screening and treatment through new diagnostic medical equipment donated to Nsambya Hospital.

This comes after the Rotary Club of Kampala handed over medical equipment worth sh1.4b to the hospital's cancer ward.

The equipment will complement efforts to improve timely screening and treatment of cancer, especially breast cancer, in the country.

"These days many people are being diagnosed with cancer too late and are dying needlessly, when there are treatments available that give them a chance to fight the disease," said Dr Edward Ddumba, the hospital's medical director.

Ddumba who said that cancer treatment will not be free called upon Ugandans to be careful with what they eat and drink.

"Our treatment will not be for free but it is better than travelling abroad. We will help those who cannot afford the drugs after investigations but also people should limit eating chips and drinking alcohol, so that this disease is prevented" said Ddumba.

Handing over the machine Helen Kaweesa, the Rotary Club of Kampala president, said the equipment and materials donated to the hospital will equip and make the cancer ward functional.

The Rotary Cancer Centre is a project that is being run by all Rotary clubs in Uganda. The project to build and equip the centre began 4 years ago, and the 36-bed cancer ward was handed over to Nsambya in 2016.

The centre will not only support the National Cancer Institute, but also bolster Rotary's work to fight cancer in Uganda and worldwide.

Nsambya receives 10 cancer patients every day.