Hope for 65 Cancer Patients as Kyabirwa Offers Free Procedures

By Barasa Richard

JINJA, UGANDA — Kyabirwa Surgical Centre in Jinja City is offering free oesophageal stent placement to 65 cancer patients during a one-week medical camp aimed at improving their ability to swallow food while training doctors to provide the specialised treatment in regional hospitals across Uganda.

The initiative offers relief to patients who cannot afford the procedure and seeks to strengthen the country's capacity to manage oesophageal cancer, which can make eating and drinking increasingly difficult.

Oesophageal cancer affects the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach. As the disease progresses, tumours can narrow or block the passage, making swallowing difficult and potentially causing weight loss and malnutrition.

Oesophageal stenting involves inserting a small tube into the oesophagus to keep it open, allowing food and liquids to pass more easily. Although it does not cure cancer, the procedure can improve swallowing and patients' quality of life.

Dr Wilberforce Kabweru, Vice President of the Uganda Medical Association and head of surgeons at Mulago National Referral Hospital, is leading the procedures and training involving doctors from the Uganda Cancer Institute, Jinja, Mbale, Lira and Hoima regional referral hospitals.

Kabweru, a senior consultant surgeon under the Ministry of Health, said Uganda has fewer than 10 specialist doctors capable of performing the procedure, limiting access to treatment in many health facilities.

He said the training would equip participating doctors with practical skills to treat patients in their respective hospitals and help them advocate for the specialised equipment required to provide the service.

Dr Joseph Okello Damoi, lead surgeon at Kyabirwa Surgical Centre, said the facility had secured the necessary equipment and medical supplies through donations from partners, enabling the patients to receive the procedures free of charge.

Damoi urged people experiencing persistent swallowing difficulties to seek medical attention early, warning that delayed diagnosis makes treatment more challenging.

He expressed concern that only about 20 per cent of patients seek diagnosis early, while the majority discover the disease at advanced stages.

Hospital manager Anna Toromanya said the medical camp was organised in partnership with the African Esophageal Cancer Consortium (AFRECC), Boston Scientific and the Uganda Cancer Institute to help patients who cannot afford specialised treatment.

She said the centre also plans to provide subsidised follow-up care, nutritional counselling and referrals for chemotherapy or radiotherapy for patients requiring further management.

Dr Samuel Banturaki, one of the training facilitators, said doctors would undergo theoretical and practical sessions using modern surgical equipment and receive internationally recognised certificates upon successful completion.

According to the Uganda Cancer Institute, oesophageal cancer remains a significant health concern in Uganda, particularly among men, with Eastern Uganda among the regions reporting a substantial burden.

Health experts identify tobacco use, prolonged alcohol consumption and drinking very hot beverages as potential risk factors.

The medical camp is expected to strengthen specialised surgical services and reduce the need for patients to travel to Kampala for treatment.

For the 65 patients, the initiative offers access to a procedure that financial hardship might otherwise place beyond their reach, while the training could help more Ugandans receive specialised care closer to home.