Uganda has received Shs33 billion to support in the establishment of a regional oncology (Cancer) centre in Northern Uganda (Gulu).
Uganda has received Shs33 billion to support in the establishment of a regional oncology (Cancer) centre in Northern Uganda (Gulu).
According to Matia Kasaija the finance minister who signed the financing agreement worth Euro 7.5 million (interest-free loan) with the Republic of Austria, they will ensure the money is put to full task and not diverted on doing other things.
Kasaija also thanked the Government of Austria and Unicredit Bank for the tremendous support and pledged on behalf of the government that the project will boost the delivery of health services.
“I wish to thank the Republic of Austria and Unicredit Bank for the support. We shall fulfill our obligations under this financing agreement and also ensure that the loan is properly utilized for the project to improve delivery of health services,” minister Kasaija said.
He further stressed that the government also intends to construct and equip other three regional cancer centres in Mbarara, Arua and Mbale.
Meanwhile, the agreement was signed by the finance minister Matia Kasaija. Also present at the signing ceremony was Dr.Victoria Walusansa the Deputy Director Uganda Cancer Institute.
The Republic of Austria was represented by the Head of Austrian Development Cooperation in Uganda Dr.Roswitha Kremser.
This comes at a time when the cancer burden continues to grow in the country exerting tremendous physical, emotional and financial strain on individuals, families, communities and health systems.
Cancer is a large group of diseases that can start in almost any organ or tissue of the body when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably, go beyond their usual boundaries to invade adjoining parts of the body and/or spread to other organs.
The latter process is called metastasizing and is a major cause of death from cancer. A neoplasm and malignant tumour are other common names for cancer.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, accounting for an estimated 9.6 million deaths, or one in six deaths, in 2018 according to statistics from the World Health Organization.
Lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach and liver cancer are the most common types of cancer in men, while breast, colorectal, lung, cervical and thyroid cancer are the most common among women.
In Uganda, approximately 60,000 new cancer patients are diagnosed annually. Of these, an estimated 47,000 (78.3 per cent) cancer patients die of their disease within one year according to a May 2016 report from the Uganda Cancer Institute.
At least 85% of patients at the Uganda Cancer Institute come from different regions of the country and only 15% come from Kampala and neighbouring towns.
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