New Cancer Treatment Center in Gulu to Start Operations in June.
The newly built multi-billion Shillings Regional Cancer Center in Gulu is set to start operations this year after commissioning, slated for mid-June 2023.
This is according to the Executive Director of the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) Dr. Jackson Orem.
The 100-bed Capacity In-patient Complex is one of the four centers envisaged by the government of Uganda to expand cancer services across the country including, Arua, Mable, and Mbarara regional Cancer centers.
In an interview with journalists at (UCI) Dr. Orem said that once this facility is launched, it’s going to decentralize cancer services near to the people, especially reducing the heavy burden of moving long distances to Kampala in pursuit of treatment.
“After Gulu the government needs to plan for resources to construct other similar centers in Arua, Mbale, and Mbarara where land is already available to serve other regions,” said, Dr. Orem.
The center is being fully installed with major diagnostic equipment such as Computerized Tomography CT-scan, X-Ray, Lab tests equipment, Ultrasound Machines, Mammography, and other equipment for chemotherapy treatment.
The work is being done by the team at Uganda Cancer Institute, with a few things left to be completed by mid-June this year. The Cancer Center will be operational to offer services to patients including screening.
“The center is going to serve the Greater North, and in meantime serve the Eastern Region, West Nile Sub-region, as the government embarks on setting up the same centers across other regions” Dr. Orem noted.
The Gulu regional Oncology Center was externally funded with a loan agreement between the government of Uganda and the Republic of Austria from Unicredit Bank to the tune of 7.5 Million Euros and worth 32 billion shillings.
A team of 50 staff going to serve patients at the complex is already being orientated at Uganda Cancer Institute, including Medical Oncologists, Nurses, Radiologists, and Lab technicians among others.
The complex which is located in Gulu city Northern Region will be headed by a senior oncologist from Uganda Cancer Institute.
