Commonly referred to as Uganda’s Iron Lady, Ogwal in death has united the nation in grief, a poignant testament to the caliber of leader she was. In our increasingly polarised politics, Ogwal sparkled effortlessly and consistently, speaking truth to power and rising to every occasion to defend her principles and country.
The untimely demise of the former speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanyah in March 2022, brought to the fore, once again, the need to improve cancer prevention and care in Uganda. The late Oulanyah succumbed to cancer of the lymphatic system in a hospital in the United States of America where he had sought specialized treatment.
During the parliamentary tribute to the late speaker, Ogwal urged parliament to use the tribute session to direct the government to acquire a positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
She reflected, “It is good for us to talk about Oulanyah, but it is my wish and the wish of everyone of the 529 [parliamentarians] of us that this painful death should leave an impact.”
In response, the minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, announced that parliament had appropriated Shs 45 billion in FY 2022/2023 for the purchase of a PET scan. Aceng further revealed that the health ministry had signed a contract for the swift procurement of the PET scan. Stanford Healthcare.org describes the PET scan as a powerful diagnostic test that has significantly impacted the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
Cancer.net explains that a PET scan is instrumental in pinpointing abnormal activity in the body and can be more sensitive than other tests. A December 2022 John Hopkins University School of Medicine paper on the role of PET scans indicates that South Africa and North Africa have the highest density of clearly established, nuclear medicine departments.
South Africa currently has at least 21 PET scans, of which five are in the public sector serving the majority of the country. The paper notes that private companies are hesitant to invest in sub-Saharan countries due to the weak economy, small markets and lack of qualified personnel.
In February 2022, Nigeria marked World Cancer day by unveiling the country’s first PET scan worth $40 million, also the first in West Africa. Experts lauded the move noting that the machine will go a long way in early detection and, therefore, treatment of cancers in the country.
Statistics show that Nigeria records 125,000 new cancer cases every year. The Nigerian publication Vanguard, on the cost of a PET scan, quoted a doctor who revealed, “On average, if you will need to do a PET-CT abroad, it is about $10,000 including cost of travels, accommodation and feeding etc. and most cancer patients will need about three, which means they will need not less than $30,000.
So, if you get it less than $1,000 it is a big achievement for Nigeria and West Africa.” In case you missed it, this equipment is not cheap.
The 2018 global cancer figures show that cancer is the leading cause of death in developed countries and second to cardiovascular diseases in developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that the cancer burden in Africa is likely to double in the next 20 years.
Again, in case you missed it, now is a good time to scale up homegrown cancer prevention and management facilities. Health Minister Aceng, during the January 19 vigil at the late Ogwal’s Kampala residence, told mourners that when Ogwal left Uganda for India to seek treatment, Ogwal reiterated her request to the government to install a PET scan at Mulago national referral hospital this year.
Ogwal felt this would curb the number of Ugandans needing to seek expensive medical treatment abroad. Aceng added, “I pray her wish is granted.”
Only a minuscule number of Ugandans can afford medical treatment abroad without government funding or fundraising from relatives and friends – and only to a certain extent. If Covid-19 taught us anything, it was that we need top-notch public healthcare here at home, and now! Ogwal, a patriot to the end, was speaking for the majority of Ugandans for whom health tourism is a fanciful and impossible idea.
As citizens, we hope for more than wishes from the ministry of Health. We hope that this year, greater strides in cancer prevention and care, in line with Ogwal’s push for the PET scan will materialize.
What a fitting tribute that would be. In the words of the Leader of Opposition, Joel Senyonyi, “Don’t wait for another Cecilia Ogwal to stand up and fight for your rights. Instead, be your own Cecilia Ogwal, stand up in your own right, and fight for the greater good.” Rest in peace, Uganda’s Iron Lady.
The writer is a tayaad muzzukulu
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