Two years after its opening, Jinja Regional Referral Hospital’s cancer clinic, established to address the high cancer burden in Busoga, remains severely under-resourced.
The clinic was launched following studies in Mayuge and Iganga districts, which ranked Busoga among the top five sub-regions with the highest cancer prevalence in Uganda. Patients with early-stage cancer in the region often struggle to access timely treatment.
Setting up the center involved extensive staff training by the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), aiming to develop the human resources needed to manage the growing patient load. Initially operating twice a week, the clinic was expanded to a daily service to accommodate the increasing number of patients seeking cancer care.
Currently, the clinic screens 120 to 150 suspected cancer patients weekly, with over 60 cases presenting either precancerous cells manageable on-site or requiring urgent referral to UCI.
Speaking during a community cancer outreach in Jinja City, Dr. Angela Namala, consultant gynecologist at Jinja Hospital, said the workload is handled by only two staff members.
“Most patients arrive at late stages, requiring urgent care to access standard treatment and manage pain,” Namala said. “The same staff also follow up patients, many of whom need psychosocial support, as cancer is often seen as a death sentence.”
The clinic primarily screens for women’s cancers, where precancerous cases can be managed locally. However, Namala noted critical gaps, including the lack of high-tech equipment and absence of a mammogram, which limits early detection of breast cancer and increases reliance on referrals to UCI.
Despite these limitations, the clinic has partially expanded access to care, which has contributed to the rising number of patients seeking treatment locally.
Amina Namulondo, a Village Health Team member, said she has referred over 22 individuals to the clinic in the past six months. She noted that many patients face difficulties completing referrals due to transport costs to UCI.
“If the clinic were expanded with more equipment, it could provide much-needed relief, especially for victims of cervical and breast cancer,” Namulondo said.
Moses Batwala, Jinja District Chairperson, revealed that the district has 10 acres of land at Buwenge General Hospital suitable for a model cancer clinic serving the entire Busoga sub-region.
“I will discuss the possibility of constructing a regional cancer center with my executive council before engaging UCI officials,” Batwala said. “This will improve healthcare access and quality, particularly for patients who cannot afford to travel to centralized facilities like UCI.”
