President Yoweri Museveni has raised concern over the increasing number of Ugandans battling cancer and diabetes, warning that the country is facing a growing threat from non-communicable diseases. The President said Uganda has successfully fought many infectious diseases that once caused widespread deaths, but new health challenges are now emerging and requiring urgent attention.
Addressing newly elected National Resistance Movement (NRM) Members of Parliament at Munyonyo, Museveni questioned why cancer cases have become increasingly common across the country. He said he has continued receiving requests from Ugandans seeking financial support to travel abroad, especially to India, for specialised cancer treatment.“People are contacting me to go to India for treatment. What is causing the cancer? Why are cancers so much now? Why is it so rampant?” Museveni asked, saying the rising burden of the disease requires deeper investigation and stronger government action.
The President recalled his earlier concerns about food safety, particularly the presence of aflatoxins in contaminated groundnuts, which have been linked to liver cancer. He said the government took action on shelled groundnuts because of the dangers posed by fungal contamination and warned that other possible causes of cancer must also be examined.Museveni said he intends to present proposals before Cabinet aimed at addressing the growing challenge of cancer and diabetes in Uganda. He noted that while diseases such as polio, measles and Guinea worm have been significantly controlled, lifestyle-related and chronic illnesses are now becoming a major health burden.Uganda has recorded a steady increase in cancer cases over recent years, with estimates showing that the country registers more than 30,000 new cases annually. Cervical and breast cancers remain among the most common, contributing a significant share of the national cancer burden, while prostate, oesophageal cancers and Kaposi sarcoma also continue to affect many Ugandans.Health experts say the rise in cancer cases is linked to several factors, including changes in lifestyle, unhealthy diets, reduced physical activity, tobacco and alcohol consumption, environmental pollution, delayed diagnosis and improved detection systems.
They have also raised concern that many patients arrive at health facilities when the disease has already reached advanced stages, making treatment more difficult and expensive.Beyond cancer, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke and kidney complications are also increasing in Uganda. Health authorities have called for stronger prevention measures, early screening, public awareness campaigns and improved access to specialised treatment to reduce the growing impact of these illnesses on Ugandan families.
