Uganda invests in advanced cancer scans
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Uganda’s government is allocating Shs 180 billion (approximately $48.5 million) to establish a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan and nuclear medicine facility at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) in Kampala.
This investment aims to improve cancer diagnosis within the country and reduce the need for patients to travel abroad for these specialized services. The Uganda Cancer Institute saw 8,764 new patients in 2025, a 10 percent increase from the previous year, and handled 67,000 outpatient visits.
The new facility will include three PET machines and a cyclotron, equipment that produces the radioactive tracers necessary for PET imaging. The first PET machine is expected to be operational by the end of the year. This decision followed the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the late king of Tooro Kingdom, who received a cancer diagnosis only after travelling to Kenya for a PET scan.
PET scans reveal activity within tissues at the cellular level, helping doctors identify and monitor disease spread beyond what standard imaging can show. However, doctors at UCI emphasize that PET scans are most effective when used alongside other diagnostic methods, such as biopsies and laboratory tests. The government is also expanding cancer services to regional centers in Arua, Mbale, Mbarara, and Gulu to improve access across the country.
