Kole North MP Dr. Samuel Opio Urges Policy Reforms to Address Foreign Patient Influx at UCI Amid Healthcare Strain
Dr. Samuel Opio, Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Health Committee and Member of Parliament for Kole North, has called for urgent policy reforms to address the growing challenge of foreign patients at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI). In an interview at Parliament, Opio discussed concerns raised by Dr. Jackson Orem, Executive Director of UCI, regarding the increasing number of foreign patients, which is putting immense pressure on Uganda’s healthcare system.
Dr. Orem, during the 2025/2026 budget presentation for UCI, revealed that many foreign patients, including refugees and medical tourists, are receiving treatment at UCI without paying for the services. Dr. Opio expressed concern, emphasizing that this trend is overburdening the country’s healthcare infrastructure.
“There’s an issue of foreigners accessing special treatment that Ugandans feel should be available to them. While Uganda’s open-door policy is important, we must prioritize the healthcare of our citizens,” Dr. Opio stated. He acknowledged the importance of Uganda’s open-door policy but noted that it has unintentionally led to an increase in medical tourists—foreign nationals traveling to Uganda specifically for medical care.
Dr. Opio called for a clear policy to define who qualifies for free treatment and who should pay for services. He proposed that refugees may qualify for free treatment, but medical tourists should be required to contribute through user fees to help sustain the services. He stressed the need for policy guidelines to ensure that Ugandans have priority access to healthcare.
“We need to start having these discussions and come up with a policy that can guide access to medical services for Ugandan citizens, refugees, and non-citizens, especially medical tourists,” Opio added. “This will help address the pressures on our system while maintaining the quality of services.”
Dr. Jackson Orem’s Appeal
Dr. Jackson Orem, the Executive Director of UCI, made an urgent appeal to the Parliamentary Health Committee during a recent budget presentation. He highlighted that around 20% of current patients at UCI are foreign nationals, a figure that has risen as Uganda’s healthcare services gain international recognition. Orem expressed concern that the influx of foreign patients is straining UCI’s already limited resources.
“We are grateful for the increased budget for medical supplies, but there is still a significant funding gap. Our services are overwhelmed by the increasing number of foreign patients,” Orem noted. He stressed the need for the health committee’s support in managing the growing demand.
Healthcare Strain and Funding Gaps
The influx of foreign patients is exacerbating ongoing budget constraints. Dr. Opio and the health committee have highlighted the strain that the rising demand for specialized treatments, such as cancer care, is placing on Uganda’s healthcare system. Despite growing budget allocations, there are still shortages of medicines, limited diagnostic services, and long waiting times.
Opio revealed that the gap between the funding requested for cancer treatments and what is allocated remains substantial. UCI requested 65 billion UGX for medical supplies, but only 17 billion UGX has been allocated for the coming year.
“There is an urgent need for more funding to address the critical gaps in healthcare,” Opio stated. “To continue providing high-quality care for Ugandans, we must invest in more human resources, better equipment, and additional medical supplies.”
