The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There is improved detection of cancer at lower health facilities, Dr. Joyce Balagadde Kambugu, the head of the paediatrics division at the Uganda Cancer Institute has revealed.
According to Dr. Kambugu, they currently register between 650 to 700 new cases annually from between 400 and 550 in the past. “Our number going up every successive year makes me happy because it means the number of patients we are seeing also increases for example 30% of the children who are battling cancer are receiving proper treatment with us,” she said.
Adding that, “The remaining 70% are out there unattended to professionally or even not diagnosed. So, whenever the numbers improve, we are making progress and eventually, the 70% will also be in our hands, but this doesn’t mean cancer is on a rise among children.”
She attributes the improvement in the number of cases reported to increased awareness campaigns, where they have been making appeals for early reporting. Dr. Kambugu was speaking at the culmination of the activities of the September gold month, an international childhood cancer awareness month.
During this month, families of children with and those who survived cancer are celebrated with the aim of increasing awareness of childhood cancer. Despite the progress made, Dr. Kambugu said they still have challenges including the limited number of oncologists, nurses and medical officers.
There are currently only 3 oncologists, 23 nurses, 4 medical officers and a 40-bed capacity ward, which are insufficient to cater for the increasing numbers. She says for example the dedicated ward operates normally at more than 100% bed occupancy, which is very dangerous especially during COVID-19 times.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Jackson Orem, the Head of Uganda Cancer Institute said children shouldn’t be discriminated against because cancer in children is curable just like any other disease.
The World Health Organization global initiative on childhood cancer launched in 2018, indicated that the childhood cancer survival rate in low-income countries stands at 30% and in high-income countries 80%. During the event, 8 children who survived cancer told their stories to their colleagues still on treatment.
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