Health 8 November 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)

Uganda Cancer Institute Warns of Critical Shortage of Breast Cancer Detection Machines

Health experts at the Uganda Cancer Institute warn that a severe lack of mammography machines outside Kampala is hindering early breast cancer detection and treatment access. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/lack-of-breast-cancer-detection-machines-hampers-fight-uci-5663372

Efforts to combat breast cancer in Uganda are facing a major roadblock due to a severe scarcity of detection machines outside the capital, Kampala. While public awareness campaigns continue to urge citizens to seek early screening, healthcare researchers warn that the current lack of essential equipment leaves patients with limited options for diagnosis.

According to data from the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) and the Atomic Energy Council, the entire country relies on roughly 20 mammography machines, with 75 percent concentrated in the central region. For the estimated 90 percent of Ugandans living outside Kampala, access to these vital screening tools is exceedingly rare. The western region has been reported to have only one operational machine, while the eastern and northern regions have just two each.

Dr. Nixon Niyonzima, the head of research and training at UCI, highlighted the dilemma during the recent Breast Cancer Summit in Kampala. He noted that intense sensitization campaigns are rendered less effective when patients cannot access screening, biopsies, or timely diagnoses locally. Furthermore, because specialized treatment facilities like radiotherapy units are primarily centralized in Mulago, patients from upcountry regions must endure expensive and exhausting travel to receive care.

Male breast cancer survivors, such as 77-year-old Emaritino Echiku from Soroti, have echoed these concerns, sharing how they had to travel hundreds of kilometers to Kampala for proper diagnosis and treatment. UCI data indicates that roughly one in forty breast cancer patients at the institute is male, exceeding the global average.

To combat these systemic challenges, UCI specialists like Dr. Naghib Bogere have introduced patient pathway-tracking platforms to monitor delays and reduce the number of patients lost to care. Additionally, the government is working to operationalize regional cancer centers in Gulu, Arua, Mbale, and Mbarara to decentralize quality oncology services. Experts emphasize that increased investment from both government and private sectors is urgently required to improve early detection and survival rates across the nation.