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Kadaga urges leaders to support cancer awareness campaigns
Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has called for more effort in reducing cancer patients’ pain, death, and incidence through rallying leaders at all levels to sensitize the masses on the need for screening at early stages.
Kadaga noted that people need to be educated that cancer has stages and if detected early enough, it can be managed.
“Very few people really know about cancer and unfortunately many times it’s when it’s mature and its really so adverse that one feels it. That’s why such it is a silent killer,” said Kadaga.
Kadaga said this Wednesday while meeting students of St.Mary’s College, Kisubi under their Human Alliance for Cancer Awareness club, ahead of a cancer run this Saturday.
The run is part of the activities of the school club to support patients and also raise 54 million shillings from the students in the next ten years and also buy cancer equipment.
The run this year aims to raise sh3 million for patients at the Uganda Cancer Institute and to start the building of a playground for the children’s ward at the hospital.
Kadaga said that it is important for the young generation to be part of the army against cancer through raising awareness and encouraging its prevention, detection and treatment among their peers and parents.
The spokesman of the alliance Timothy Kadaga said the club aims at raising awareness because it is reported that over 17% of the people aged below 75 years are at risk of succumbing to cancer.
“We believe that awareness can reduce the number of deaths resulting from late detection and treatment of cancer cases,” he said, adding that “as the Speaker of parliament you are influential and through your participation and support from the political leaders, it will create a bond between the public and the leaders.”
Kadaga who has been invited as chief runner pledges to mobilize parliamentarians to participate and support the 7km cancers run that will be around Kisubi on Saturday.
