KAMPALA | In the crowded corridors of the Uganda Cancer Institute on Mulago Hill, the scene has become familiar: men from every corner of the country arriving with symptoms that have already advanced far beyond the early stages of prostate cancer. Doctors say the trend is unmistakable and deeply worrying. Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in Uganda and remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Yet it is also among the most treatable when detected early.
Dr. Fred Okuku, a Consultant Oncologist at the Uganda Cancer Institute, describes the challenge bluntly. “It’s not that prostate cancer is unstoppable,” he said. “It’s that most men come too late.” The reasons, he notes, are rooted in fear, stigma, myths surrounding male reproductive health, and a widespread reluctance among men to discuss their bodies or seek routine medical care. By the time many present with difficulty passing urine, persistent pelvic or lower back pain, blood in urine or semen, or unexplained weight loss, the disease has often progressed to a point where treatment becomes more complicated, more expensive, and less successful.
Recent data from Uganda’s regional cancer centers paint a sobering picture of a growing national burden. In Mbarara, prostate cancer accounts for 18 percent of all new adult cancer cases, making it the region’s most common malignancy, with 176 men diagnosed in the recent reporting period. At the UCI main branch in Kampala, the disease represents 11 percent of new cases, with 764 men diagnosed, ranking as the third most common cancer. In Gulu, the trend is similar, where prostate cancer makes up 13 percent of all new adult cancer cases, with 68 men diagnosed, also ranking third. Combined, these numbers underscore a silent but pervasive health challenge affecting men across the country, from urban centers to the most remote villages.
Ugandan clinicians observe that the greatest risk lies among men aged 45 years and above, with the risk rising even higher for those with a family history of prostate, breast, or related cancers. Despite this, the majority of men do not seek medical help until symptoms become severe. Health experts emphasize that this pattern can be reversed through early screening. A simple PSA blood test, paired with a routine medical examination, is sufficient to detect early changes long before symptoms appear. Dr. Okuku stresses that early detection dramatically improves survival rates and can prevent thousands of premature deaths each year. Screening once every year for men aged 45 and above and even earlier for those with a family history is widely recognized as the most effective line of defense.
At the institutional level, the Uganda Cancer Institute has continued to expand its capacity to respond to the growing burden. The Institute now offers advanced radiotherapy, surgery, hormonal therapy, chemotherapy, imaging services, and comprehensive supportive care. Investments in diagnostic infrastructure and cancer medicines are ongoing, even as more specialists are trained to meet rising patient numbers. In partnership with the Ministry of Health and other organizations, the Institute has intensified community outreach and mobile screening programs, taking services directly to rural communities where access to healthcare remains limited. These initiatives have brought education, testing, and early detection closer to the populations most at risk.
But experts insist that medical institutions cannot carry the burden alone. Uganda’s fight against prostate cancer requires a broader cultural shift, one that normalizes men discussing their health openly, that encourages families to guide fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons toward routine screening, and that creates workplace and community environments supportive of preventative care. Media houses also hold a central role in shaping national awareness by dispelling myths and ensuring accurate health information reaches all regions. Public policymakers, too, must continue investing in early detection infrastructure, diagnostic tools, and accessible treatment services to ensure that no Ugandan man is left behind due to financial or geographic barriers.
Dr. Okuku believes that if these collective efforts are sustained, Uganda could dramatically reduce the number of men dying from a disease that is both preventable and highly treatable. The tragedy, he notes, is not just that prostate cancer is common, but that so many deaths are avoidable. “If we work together,” he said, “we can prevent thousands of unnecessary deaths. We can ensure that men live long, productive, and healthy lives.”
For now, however, the waiting rooms at Mulago continue to fill with men arriving too late, a reminder that the fight against prostate cancer is far from won, and that the nation’s most pressing challenge is not medical complexity but the silence that keeps too many men from seeking help in time.
