• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

Deputy Speaker Tayebwa directs Uganda Cancer Institute leadership to investigate staff sending patients to buy medicines from private facilities

Watchdog Uganda by Watchdog Uganda
3 years ago
in National, News
0 0
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa at Uganda Cancer Institute

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa at Uganda Cancer Institute

ShareTweetSendShare

KAMPALA — The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has directed the management of Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) to investigate reports that staff were sending patients to buy medicines from private pharmacies.

Tayebwa who was on a guided tour at Uganda Cancer Institute on Tuesday, November 29, said he had received concerns that the Cancer Institute, a fully government facility was frequently sending patients and caretakers to private facilities to buy specialized cancer medicines yet government provides funding for free medicines.

“We have received very many complaints from patients here who say you send them out to buy very expensive medicines yet I have been told that the medicines are free and that we have all of them,” the deputy speaker said, directing UCI to investigate and punish all those involved in extortion syndicates at the hospital.

“I want to send a message to Ugandans who are complaining that I have confirmed today that government has provided all the funding necessary to buy the medicines for cancer for the patients who come here,” he said.

Tayebwa also urged the government to regulate some of the medicines in the country.

During the tour at the Institute, the deputy speaker said he had been impressed by the ongoing works at the facility and said Parliament would appropriate accordingly to address the funding gaps raised by officials.

Prof William Bazeyo, the UCI board chairperson admitted that money is being charged from patients but only at a VIP wing of the facility.

“We have a VIP [wing] where we charge a minimum fee but it is your choice to go to that wing,” Prof Bazeyo said, noting that, “for every patient that comes to the institute for all their laboratory tests, X-rays, chemotherapy or drugs, are all free,” Prof. Bazeyo said.

He also said that there’s no consultation fee for consultants because they don’t operate as private.

“Ugandans should know that we have free services. At this cancer institute, we received patients from all over the country and those who are saying that they’re charged, they should come out instead of hiding under social media.”

Patients at UCI compete for space with some sleeping in corridors and outside while others share wards despite their sex.

Over 80 percent of cancer patients in Uganda die due to late diagnosis.

By the time they are found to have cancer, it has spread and ground to stages it can’t be treated and a life saved.

Dr. Jackson Orem, the UCI Executive Director told reporters that lack of funding is delaying the efforts to decentralize cancer treatment in Uganda.

He said that until they have regional centers where some patients can be attended to, they cannot turn away patients seeking treatment.

Currently, the government is expanding care infrastructure at the Mulago campus with the construction of a new 8-level inpatient building, a six-level two-block with funding from the African Development Bank-ADB.

When complete, Dr Orem said the facility will house a cancer laboratory, MRI, cancer surgical suites, outpatient clinics, and Intensive Care Unit-ICU among many other facilities to improve patient care

“The building that we have already started which we need to complete will help to house inhouse patients and a theatre,” Dr. Orem said, adding that funding is very critical.

The Uganda Cancer Institute is a public, specialized, tertiary care medical facility owned by the Uganda Ministry of Health.

The Institute offers; chemotherapy, childhood cancer treatment, adult cancer treatment, cancer screening, cancer surgery, radiotherapy, palliative care, imaging, and cancer information. The UCI diagnoses over 30,000 new cases of cancer in the country every year.

The most common cancers in Uganda include; cancer of the breast, cancer of the cervix, kaposis sarcoma, cancer of the prostate, cancer of the ovary, cancer of the liver, leukemia, cancer of the colon, burkitts lymphoma, and others.


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
ShareTweetSendShare

Related Posts

Maama Janet and President Museveni visited Mrs. Fausta Nalweyiso on Monday in Kibumbiro, Busega. The President praised her dedication to the Parish Development Model through her piggery project which he found very impressive.
Agriculture

MIKE SSEGAWA: Museveni’s PDM Tour; A Journey of Connection and Transformation

14th July 2025 at 22:49
Community News

Justice George Kanyeihamba Passes Away at 85, Leaving a Lasting Legacy in Uganda

14th July 2025 at 09:39
Dr. Ayub Mukisa (Ph.D.)
News

Dr. Ayub Mukisa: For the Fate and Future of Karamoja: Stakeholders need to Prioritise Climate Change Issue

14th July 2025 at 09:30
Next Post
Minister for the Presidency, Hon. Milly Babalanda

Minister Babalanda calls for increased sensitization about prevalent risk of new HIV infections ahead of World AIDS Day commemoration

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1135 shares
    Share 454 Tweet 284
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    56 shares
    Share 22 Tweet 14
  • Who is Bosco Muwonge, Uganda’s elusive real estate billionaire?

    41 shares
    Share 16 Tweet 10
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2291 shares
    Share 916 Tweet 573
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    51 shares
    Share 20 Tweet 13
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Maama Janet and President Museveni visited Mrs. Fausta Nalweyiso on Monday in Kibumbiro, Busega. The President praised her dedication to the Parish Development Model through her piggery project which he found very impressive.

MIKE SSEGAWA: Museveni’s PDM Tour; A Journey of Connection and Transformation

14th July 2025 at 22:49
Mashable is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company For more queries and news contact us on this Email: info@mashablepartners.com

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is the undisputed king of Kampala

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0
Maama Janet and President Museveni visited Mrs. Fausta Nalweyiso on Monday in Kibumbiro, Busega. The President praised her dedication to the Parish Development Model through her piggery project which he found very impressive.

MIKE SSEGAWA: Museveni’s PDM Tour; A Journey of Connection and Transformation

14th July 2025 at 22:49

Justice George Kanyeihamba Passes Away at 85, Leaving a Lasting Legacy in Uganda

14th July 2025 at 09:39

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda