The ministry of finance today morning approved plans to expeditiously build a new bunker to house a new radiotherapy machine at Mulago Cancer Institute. The news was released by Minister of Health Dr. Elioda Tumwesige this afternoon, in a message to Parliament’s Health Committeee.
“I had a meeting with secretary to the treasury early this morning, over concerns about the radiotherapy machine at Mulago Cancer Institute. I am glad to tell you that we have been cleared to expeditiously handle the process of building the bunker for the radiotherapy machine, worth Shs30 billion, ” Dr.Tuwmesige told lawmakers on the Health committee.
Tumwesige addedd that the bunker will be complete within the next six months.
The minister’s announcement follows a recent spurt of public outcry over the collapse of the country’s only radiotherapy machine at Mulago hospital, which collapse was reported last week.
The Mulago hospital-based Uganda Cancer Institute gets an estimated 44,000 new referrals from Uganda every year, with many others coming from neighboring countries like Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Around 75% of these normally require radiotherapy.