In abid to address global health challenges, Makerere University in partnership with Texas University has passed out specialist in Cancer and other Non-Communicable Disease specialists to provide urgent services to the public.
Dr. Dithan Kiragga and Dr. Denise Birungi joined the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the College of Health Sciences, Texas Global Children’s Hope Hospital team led by Dr. Joseph Lubega and other development partners, including Sky High, ELMA Philanthropies, Lions Clubs International and Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, to witness the graduation of 12 Paediatric Hematology and Oncology fellows from Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
The team will provide special services across the regional in management of cancers cases and non-communicable diseases.
Cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality with 7,000 children and adults affected and less than 50% receiving treatment.
With Uganda being among the top five countries in the world with the highest burden of sickle cell disease, it is a privilege to contribute super specialists to this cause.
The Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe noted the focus of research in Africa-led initiatives and sustainable funding to address the wide array of communicable and non-communicable diseases in the region.
Mr. Richard Mugahi, the Commissioner of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Reproductive Health represented the Permanent Secretary and appreciated the partnership with Makerere University, and mentioned that this cause was top on the agenda of the Ministry, which is establishing/had established regional cancer centers in Gulu, and will be establishing others in Arua, Mbarara and Mbale.
Dr. Joseph Lubega from the Texas Global Health Program reminisced how he had met a jovial eight-year-old Victoria in 1999, who died without being given any shot at surviving cancer, an experience that motivated him to kickstart the initiative to save the lives of dozens of children suffering the fate that Victoria suffered.
He cited the impact of in the countries of some of the fellows from Kenya and Tanzania where from no child surviving to half of them being cured and from halting of a specialist training program to the graduation of dozen specialists, respectively.
‘Today, Mulago Hospital is the largest children’s cancer and blood diseases center in Africa and one of the largest in the world, with about 400 new children treated for cancer and thousands for sickle cell disease, annually; with 9 specialists including the only children’s brain cancer specialist in this region’.
“We are proud to be part of this partnership with Texas Global Health Program where we are witnessing the impact of every fellow in making a difference to save the lives of children with cancers and blood disorders across the country and region,” said Dr. Dithan Kiragga, Executive Director of Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation – Uganda.