As the world marks World Cancer Day today, millions pause to reflect on progress made in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. In Uganda, however, the day is a sobering reminder of a growing health crisis that continues to claim tens of thousands of lives every year, often silently, and often too soon.
Uganda registers an estimated 34,000 to 37,000 new cancer cases annually, with more than 22,000 deaths recorded each year.
According to the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), the most alarming statistic remains that nearly 80 percent of people diagnosed with cancer die within their first year of diagnosis, largely due to late detection and limited access to timely treatment.
For many patients, a cancer diagnosis arrives when the disease is already advanced. “By the time most patients reach us, the cancer is already at stage three or four,” medics at the Cancer Institute explain.
At that point, treatment becomes more complex, expensive, and less effective.
Data from the Uganda Cancer Institute shows that cervical cancer remains the most common and deadliest cancer among women, followed by breast cancer.
Among men, prostate cancer leads, while Kaposi sarcoma closely linked to HIV continues to affect both adults and children.The five most common cancers in Uganda are: Cervical cancer,Prostate cancer,Breast cancer,Kaposi sarcoma,Oesophageal cancer
Infections remain a major driver of cancer in the country. Human Papillomavirus (HPV), HIV, and Hepatitis B are strongly linked to several of the most prevalent cancers.
Lifestyle changes are also contributing to the rising burden, particularly high alcohol consumption, with Uganda ranked among countries with the highest per capita alcohol intake in Africa.
Figures suggest, Cancer does not affect all regions equally. The Central Region, particularly Kampala, records the highest incidence at 86.6 cases per 100,000 people, according to national data. Other high-burden areas include Gulu in Northern Uganda and Kabale in the southwest.
Behind these numbers are families forced to travel long distances for care, often selling property or exhausting savings to afford treatment in the capital.
Cancer is increasingly affecting Uganda’s youngest population. Children account for about 10 percent of new cancer cases, with 600 to 700 paediatric patients admitted to the Uganda Cancer Institute every year.
For many families, a childhood cancer diagnosis brings not only emotional pain but also severe financial strain, as treatment can last months or years.
During the Financial Year 2024/2025, the Uganda Cancer Institute registered 8,372 new patients, highlighting the immense pressure on the country’s primary cancer treatment facility.
Women consistently accounted for the majority of new cases with about 55 percent reflecting the high burden of cervical and breast cancers.
Over the same period:80,438 chemotherapy infusions were administered,68,125 radiotherapy sessions were delivered
On average, this translates to more than 20,000 chemotherapy sessions and 17,000 radiotherapy sessions every quarter, underscoring both the scale of the problem and the growing demand for cancer services.
As Uganda joins the global community in commemorating World Cancer Day, health experts emphasize that many cancer deaths are preventable. Early screening, HPV vaccination, reduction in alcohol use, and early health-seeking behaviour could significantly reduce mortality.
For patients like Maria, a mother of four who arrived at UCI with advanced cervical cancer after months of untreated symptoms, World Cancer Day is not just symbolic. It is a reminder of what earlier diagnosis could have meant.
“I thought it was just a small problem that would go away,” she says quietly from a hospital bed. “If I had known, I would have come earlier.”
Today’s observance is a call to action for policymakers to invest more in cancer prevention and treatment, for communities to break the silence around cancer, and for individuals to seek care early.