The Women Cancer survivors have petitioned Parliament over the shortage over the deficiency of drugs at the Uganda Cancer Institute.In their petition presented to the Speaker of Parliament, the women urged government to increase cancer drugs at Institute, saying the number of cancer patients has increased and the drugs are low in stock.
The women under the Uganda Women’s Cancer Support Organization (UWOCASO) said government should increase funding toward provision of drugs, control and management of cancer.
“People being diagnosed with cancer have increased in number, but we have only one treatment center which cannot accommodate the growing numbers of the cancer patients,” said Rebecca Mayengo the Chairperson UWOCASO.
The women’s plea to the Speaker was that government speeds up the process of installing another radiotherapy machine and other equipment in the Cancer Institute.
Mayengo told the Speaker that their organization had learnt that 200 patients received treatment form radiotherapy daily with 50 others under going review.
One of the survivors narrated to the Speaker how she was continuously deferred because of the radiotherapy machine breakdown.
“I moved to mulago for five months without being worked on, the machine would breakdown because of the many numbers of people being worked on, so I would be told to come back next time,” she said.
The women also recommended for the integration of supportive and palliative cancer care to improve on the quality of life of the cancer patients.
In her response to the women petitioners Kadaga thanked the women for their concern and for exposing the silent killer disease.
Kadaga informed the women that their petition was timely and reassured them that Parliament would consider their concerns when the budget process begins.
“I am going to forward this petition to the Committee on Health so that your proposals are captured during the budget process,” she stressed.
UWOCASO brings together a group of breast cancer survivors. It was founded in 2004 by five survivors but has continued to attract more survivors and well wishers. The current membership is 50 survivors.
Meanwhile the burial of NTV News Anchor Rosemary Nankabirwa who succumbed to Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cancer at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi on Sunday 12th April 2015 will be buried today in Kinoni Masaka. This the third reknown media personality that has died of cancer in Uganda this year following the demise of Dan Kyazze and Bbale Francis