The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa has called on the Ministry of Finance to honor an earlier House recommendation for government to purchase a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) machine, used for early cancer detection and monitor treatment.
Tayebwa said it is a consensus of all MPs that government provides the required Shs62 billion to commence procurement of diagnostic machine envisaged to reduce the need to travel abroad for cancer treatment.
The House Committee on Health indicated that the Uganda Cancer Institute requires Shs338 billion to put up a PET Centre in a phased manner. Only Shs30 billion has been allocated out of Shs92 billion requested to commence procurement of diagnostic machine, creating a funding gap of Shs62 billion.
“This business of sending people abroad for cancer treatment [in advanced stages] yet it could have been detected much earlier should stop,” said Tayebwa while chairing the plenary sitting on Tuesday, 15 April 2025.
The Deputy Speaker was responding to a report of the Committee on Health, on the Ministerial Policy Statement and budget estimates for the for the health sector for the 2025/2026 financial year.
“We agreed that even if everything else fails, we must provide money for the PET machine. The Ministry of Finance had told me that they have Shs35 million and promised to top up to make Shs62 billion. That is something we all agreed to and we must sort it out,” said Tayebwa.
The Chairperson of the Health Committee, Hon. Joseph Ruyonga, said that conducting PET scans in Uganda will greatly reduce referrals abroad, explaining that the cost of the scans will be 30 percent of what one would spend while abroad.
“We recommend that Shs62 billion be provided for clearing the outstanding obligation on establishment of a nuclear medicine facility also known as the PET Center. This project is important for the early detection of cancer, as Uganda Cancer Institute is earmarked to become a regional center of excellence in cancer management,” Ruyonga said.
Tororo District Woman MP, Hon. Sarah Opendi was concerned with the nature of cancer diagnosis in the country, saying that cancer is mostly detected when it is in the last stages.
“We have been told that annually we register 7,000 patients who are diagnosed and treated for cancer, yet there are many out there who do not know [their cancer status]. There is actually wrong diagnosis going on that by the time they discover cancer, it is in stage four,” Opendi said.
Hon. John Teira (NRM, Bugabula County North) proposed that government alongside the PET machine in Mulago, consider equipping district hospitals with cancer screening diagnostics to increase the rate of early detection.
MPs also vouched for decongestion of the Cancer Institute, calling on government to provide Shs7.1 billion needed to operationalise the regional cancer centers in Mbarara and Gulu districts.
“The whole of last year I was at the Cancer Institute with my late father, the congestion I experienced was a concern; let us buy the PET machine and also focus on decongesting the institute in Mulago,” said Hon. Santa Alum, (UPC, Oyam District Woman Representative).
The Minister of State for Health in charge of General Duties, Hon. Anifa Kawooya, said the ministry has been pushing for acquisition of the PET machine even at cabinet level in vain.
“The PET machine is in the budget for the nest financial yea. We are all saying it is an urgent matter. In Cabinet we have said it is an urgent matter, a matter of high concern,” Kawooya said.
