The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, has urged the Ministry of Finance to honour the House's earlier recommendation for the government to purchase a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) machine. This diagnostic tool is essential for early cancer detection and treatment monitoring.
Tayebwa stated that all Members of Parliament are in agreement that the government should provide the required Shs62 billion to start procuring the machine, which is expected to reduce the need for Ugandans to seek cancer treatment abroad.
The House Committee on Health revealed that the Uganda Cancer Institute needs Shs338 billion to establish a PET Centre in phases. However, only Shs30 billion has been allocated out of the Shs92 billion requested to begin procurement, leaving a funding gap of Shs62 billion.
"This business of sending people abroad for cancer treatment in advanced stages, when it could have been detected much earlier, must stop," said Tayebwa during the plenary sitting on Tuesday, 15 April 2025.
The Deputy Speaker's comments followed the Committee on Health's report on the Ministerial Policy Statement and the health sector's budget estimates for the 2025/2026 financial year.
"We agreed that even if everything else fails, we must provide money for the PET machine. The Ministry of Finance had told me they have Shs35 million and promised to top up to make Shs62 billion. That is something we all agreed to and we must sort it out," Tayebwa added.
Joseph Ruyonga, Chairperson of the Health Committee, highlighted the importance of conducting PET scans in Uganda. He noted that the cost of the scans would be only 30% of what it would cost abroad. He also reiterated the need for Shs62 billion to clear the outstanding amount for establishing the PET Centre, emphasising its role in early cancer detection and positioning the Uganda Cancer Institute as a regional centre of excellence.
Sarah Opendi, the Tororo District Woman MP, expressed concerns about the late-stage cancer diagnoses in the country. She pointed out that while 7,000 cancer patients are diagnosed annually, many more are unaware of their condition until it is too late.
John Teira (NRM, Bugabula County North) proposed that, alongside the PET machine, government should consider equipping district hospitals with cancer screening facilities to improve early detection rates.
MPs also called for the decongestion of the Uganda Cancer Institute and requested Shs7.1 billion to operationalise regional cancer centres in Mbarara and Gulu districts.
"The congestion I witnessed last year at the Cancer Institute with my late father was concerning. Let's acquire the PET machine and also focus on decongesting the institute in Mulago," said Hon. Santa Alum, (UPC, Oyam District Woman Representative).
The Minister of State for Health in charge of General Duties, Anifa Kawooya, confirmed that the ministry has been advocating for the acquisition of the PET machine at the Cabinet level but has not been successful.
"The PET machine is in the budget for the next financial year. We all agree it is an urgent matter and a high priority," Kawooya said.