Presidents Museveni, Uhuru Kenyatta contribute to upgrading of Uganda Cancer Institute

Presidents Yoweri Museveni and his Kenya counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta have contributed Shs. 100 million and US$20,000 respectively to the revival and upgrading of the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI).

This was during a fund-raising dinner last evening organized by the Dean and entire diplomatic corps in Uganda at the second Annual Diplomatic Black Tie Dinner and Ball held at the Kampala Serena Hotel. Other major contributors included South African Airways, Kenya Airways, Turkish Airlines, Kampala Serena Hotel and Door Price, among others.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was Chief Guest. The Prime Minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, represented President Museveni. The dinner was held under the theme “Handshake Diplomacy to Cooperate Rather Than Compete.”

President Uhuru Kenyatta thanked President Museveni for the invitation to attend the dinner. He urged the people of Africa to remain focused on strategic structures to enhance and promote progress as the way forward for better achievements. “No country is perfect. There is need to review domestic issues affecting our people at their places. We should insist on people's treatment and consider decisions for respect of sovereign will,” he observed.

The Kenyan leader further said that the people on the African continent have to choose and internalize Africa’s issues and fight injustice. “There is no country on the globe that has been involved in peace making in the Republic of South Sudan like Uganda. I think Kenya is a partner.  Kenya will not agree on a failure to address political issues in South Sudan,” he reiterated.

President Uhuru Kenyatta called on African states to strengthen a multilateral system in order to continue taking firm decision on South Sudan. He, therefore, emphasized that Africans should look at globalization from the perspective of open especially the African markets.

“African countries should not compete with each other but should instead compliment each other to prosper together with a theme of Pan Africanism. Eradication of poverty will emancipate the African struggle to remain successful in many areas to emphasize the spirit of ‘obuntu' to remain mutual partners,” he added.

“I believe Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya can succeed. To work hand in hand with our new baby South Sudan we can also succeed and together we work for prosperity and prosperity for all. If we can’t not be together, we can’t have economic independence,” he emphasized. said President Uhuru Kenyatta.

ON behalf of President Museni, Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda commended members of the diplomatic corps in Uganda for their efforts in the fight against cancer. “Cancer is ravaging the region. The capacity to fight cancer is not in our strength. For Kenya to treat Ugandan patients against cancer strengthened the relationship between the countries further”, he said.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon. Sam Kuteesa commended President Uhuru Kenyatta for his total commitment to regional integration.

Earlier, Uganda Cancer Institute Oncologist and Consultant Dr. Jackson Orem, reported that cancer is the biggest looming threat to human health among the population of Sub Sahara Africa.

Current statistics indicate about 715,000 cases of cancer are in the region adding that 547,000 cases representing 80% of death the rate, are among the newly diagnosed cases. Statistics further indicate an estimated 1,280,000 new cases will be recorded by 2030 and 970,000 deaths.