The Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) has stepped up efforts to make specialised cancer treatment accessible to patients in Northern Uganda through the provision of advanced urological surgeries at the Gulu Regional Cancer Centre.
The initiative focuses on managing cancers of the urinary tract system, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, testis, and penis, which health experts say have become increasingly common in the region. Prostate and bladder cancers, in particular, are emerging as major health concerns among men, while children are also being diagnosed with bladder cancer.
Dr Geriga Fadhil, the Head of the Gulu Regional Cancer Centre, said the initiative is part of UCI’s broader plan to decentralise cancer treatment and ensure that patients outside Kampala can access complex surgical services.
“Many of the surgeries we are performing would ordinarily cost between 15 and 25 million Shillings in private hospitals, but here patients are receiving them free of charge,” he explained.
He noted that prostate cancer remains one of the most prevalent urological cancers, mainly affecting older men, while cases of bladder cancer in children are often curable if detected early. “Parents should pay attention to symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, blood in urine, and difficulty urinating. Early detection makes a big difference,” Dr Geriga advised.
According to Dr Henry Dabanja, a Consultant Urologist and Oncologist at UCI, the programme brings together 25 surgeons from different hospitals across the country to expand access to expert-level surgeries that were previously unavailable in most regions.
“Our goal is not just to treat patients but also to build local capacity. Visiting specialists from the United States are training Ugandan doctors to handle complex procedures involving the urinary tract system,” he said.
Dr Dabanja added that prostate cancer is now the second most commonly treated cancer at UCI after cervical cancer, yet many patients continue to face financial and logistical barriers to obtaining care.
Dr Scott Eggener, a lead surgeon from the University of California, Los Angeles, emphasised the importance of public awareness, adding that symptoms such as blood in urine, difficulty urinating, or kidney blockage can all be early signs of bladder cancer, and early consultation with a specialist can save lives.
Since the Gulu Regional Cancer Centre opened last year, it has treated more than 400 patients. The number has since doubled to 800 this year, with 270 new cases registered between July and September alone, a sign of both growing awareness and the increasing demand for cancer care in Northern Uganda.
Through these expanded services, the Uganda Cancer Institute aims to close the gap in access to specialised cancer treatment and bring life-saving interventions closer to communities that need them most.
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