Uganda Cancer Institute budget allocation handles on
The Uganda Cancer Institute is facing a severe funding crisis, with current allocations covering only 30% of patient needs. Executive Director Dr. Jackson Orem warns that without increased government support, the facility will struggle to manage rising cancer cases and drug shortages.
Why it matters
Chronic underfunding in public health infrastructure directly impacts mortality rates and the accessibility of life-saving treatments for thousands of patients in East Africa.
________________ Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) Executive Director has revealed that the current budget allocation to the facility can only treat 30% of patients who need care, leaving over 70% to die without treatment or to abandon treatment midway. "We are frustrated. Our budget is not in line with the disease burden. We need over sh110b shillings annually if we are to treat cancer ideally. We need this money to be able to manage cancer well. Our staff need to be increased to be able to treat new patients from regional centres in the country," Dr Jackson Orem, said on Thursday, August 3, during a working visit by the Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwiine, that included a budget advocacy meeting with the stakeholders at UCI Mulago in Kampala.
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