President Yoweri Museveni has said that Uganda will pay for the cancer machines and also provide a grant to Varian Medical Systems, the leading manufacture of radiotherapy and radio-surgical devices used in treating cancer, to train young Uganda professionals on their use.
He was addressing the 71st United Nations General Assembly currently taking place at the United Nations Headquarters under the theme “The Sustainable Development Goals: a universal push to transform our world.”
The machine, once housed at Mulago Hospital, then moved to the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), broke down after 21 years of faithful service.
It was scheduled for replacement for three years, but the health minister cited “funding challenges” that prevented progress.
Uganda records around 20,000 new cases of cancer per year, and it’s estimated that around 300,000 cases will be registered in the next five years. The radiation machine has, on average, catered for 27,648 patients annually, according to the UCI.
“What is important is to recruit young people and send them on government sponsorship for bio-medical training,” Museveni stated.
The President, who was received at the JFK international airport on 20th September by Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dr. Richard Nduhuura and Uganda’s ambassador to the United States Oliver Wonekha, was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister for Education Janet Kataha Museveni.
The Assembly is among other issues discussing the question of refugees, climate change, progress made on the sustainable development goals, strengthening global health and advancing gender equality.
male@ugchristiannews.com
