The fight against cancer in Uganda has gained fresh momentum with the graduation of 28 highly trained cancer specialists.
The new graduates completed two years of rigorous super-specialist training, mastering the treatment of cancers that most affect Ugandans. Thirteen fellows specialized in women’s cancers such as breast and cervical cancer, seven focused on childhood cancers, and eight trained in adult medical and hematological oncology.
At a ceremony held last evening, the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) celebrated what health leaders described as a game-changer. Dr. Nixon Niyonzima, UCI’s head of research and training, said the program was born out of necessity because the institute has been operating with a shortfall of about 3,000 specialists needed for cancer services.
The National Planning Authority projects a five-year gap of 350 specialists in women’s cancers and 600 medical oncologists, making the new graduates an important but still small step forward. The training, which has already attracted specialists from Liberia, Malawi, and Kenya, underscores Uganda’s growing role as a regional hub for oncology education.
UCI Executive Director Dr. Jackson Orem hailed the initiative as both cost-saving and brain-drain proof. He added that the program has enabled them to train more people than would be possible if they studied abroad.
The graduates are already deployed at UCI, but Orem admitted they represent “just a drop in the ocean,” stressing that Uganda ultimately needs about 30,000 cancer specialists to staff treatment centers nationwide.
Uganda records around 36,000 new cancer cases each year, a figure that continues to climb. To keep pace, UCI has launched three additional training programs: a male-cancers fellowship, a four-year radiation oncology course, and a head-and-neck cancers program. Niyonzima explained that these areas are seeing a sharp increase in cases, and the country needs to stay ahead of the burden.
With the new graduates and expanded training tracks, Uganda is positioning itself not just to treat, but to train and retain the specialists needed to confront one of the country’s most pressing health challenges. This graduation marks more than an academic achievement—it signals a determined national effort to bring world-class cancer care closer to home.
