Ugandan cancer patients will finally start getting treatment at the Aga Khan hospital in Nairobi starting next week after officials from the Uganda Cancer Institute and the Aga Khan hospital signed an agreement today for the transfer of the patients. A Ministry of health official however said five to six patients will be taken for treatment per week.
The Aga Khan hospital in April offered to treat 400 Ugandan cancer patients for free after Uganda’s only radiotherapy machine broke down, making it impossible for the Cancer Institute at Mulago to give the more than 17,000 cancer patients in the country the radiotherapy care they need. Jackson Orem, the head of the Uganda Cancer Institute said patients will be transferred by van and if required, airlifted.