Uganda Cancer Institute is being transformed into an East African Centre of Excellency in Oncology offering highly Specialized services.
The institute will be handling over forty (40) types of cancer, and advancing into a comprehensive cancer management centre in Africa.
Uganda cancer Institute is focusing on prevention and care to improve survival through excelling in prevention, care, research and training.
UCI has fully fledged medical and paediatric oncology units, Laboratory diagnostic services like pathology, chemistry, immunology, haematology and transfusion services, CT-Scan, heavy duty ultrasound, X-ray and plans for acquisition of an MRI are in advanced stages.
In the organizations’ Cancer Outreach and Prevention function, a cancer screening clinic is available at UCI-Mulago, whereas there is routine outreach to communities for screening and sensitization.
On average, statistics reports that 250 patients receive radiotherapy per day. An average of 350 patients is seen in the Out Patients’ Department daily; over 300 per cent bed occupancy rates has become the norm due to overwhelming numbers.
Due to growing numbers of cases of different cancers that are currently overwhelming the UCI, Ugandans need to embrace awareness for Cancer Prevention otherwise the trend is worrying. These lifestyle diseases are preventable.
UCI has increased in-service skilling of its staffs as well as supporting more staff to study abroad to increase number of specialists and non-specialists cadres in management of Oncology to solve the challenge of human resource expertise.
UCI is also Increasing cancer awareness, early detection and screening in all regions of Uganda as well as expanding infrastructure.
To address the challenge of the rapidly increasing numbers of cancer patients and reduce load on the Mulago Campus, the institute is in the process of establishing and equipping the four Regional Cancer Centres of Mbarara, Gulu, Mbale and Arua.
The centre also plans to expand its Inpatient and outpatient facilities, expand the cancer Outreach programs, set up a Paediatric Oncology Centre of Excellence and a Women’s Cancer Centre, a hematology and Transplant Centre and a patients’ hostel.
Discussion about this post