Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has tasked Uganda Cancer Institute(UCI) to prioritise cancer prevention to reduce the high numbers at the institute.
She made the remarks as she visited the institute to appreciate the work being done there by the doctors and health workers and to observe the state of facilities available.
Nabbanja was shocked by the overwhelming number of cancer patients, tasking the institute to sensitize the masses on cancer prevention and early screening
"The number of cancer patients is increasing day by day. As a government this is a threat to the economy because you would be in your garden, office working but now you are here (in the hospital). The challenge of various cancers in the country is huge and growing. We need to do whatever preventive measures we can to stop the danger from growing," she said.
The World Health Organisation estimates that 30–50% of all cancers are avoidable by preventing or reducing exposure to cancer risk factors.
Dr Jackson Orem, the executive director, UCI warned that the risk factor of developing cancer has gone high, citing environmental factors among others .
He said much as the facility is fully equipped, the institute is overwhelmed by the increasing number of patients to the extent that some members are currently receiving the medication at the hospital corridors and tents.
He noted that in some instances, they are forced to mix both males and females in the same room or tents for them to continue getting treatment.
"The solution is we must decentralise and we must make sure that we go to the regions at least as a starting point. So, we are now advising this concept of regional cancer centres. We have one which is going to be in Gulu, one in Arua, one in Mbale and another one in Mbarara. We can’t chase away men because we have only space for females," he said.
