Cancer Institute Slaps Charge on Patients to Supplement Budget

The Uganda Cancer Institute has started charging patients who seek treatment for cancer.

This is in the bid to raise funds that will supplement their budget as an entity as required by the government.

The patients that used to receive expense free radiotherapy treatment are now bound to party with 300,000 shillings to get the same service. This money will cater for all the 25 radiotherapy sessions.

According to the Dr. Jackson Orem, the UCI executive director, the institute intends to raise funds to supplement their budget as per government stipulation.

Additionally, patients on private arrangement will part with Shs500,000 while the international ones will pay approximately Shs7.4 million.

This comes at a time when the institute is still affiliated to the national referral hospital and should ideally offer free medication.