By Julius Mugaga Tukacungurwa, Umoja Standard.
Makerere, Uganda: At a recent graduation of 16 children blood disease and cancer specialists from the Paediatric Heamatology and Oncology Fellowship of Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Dr. Rosemary Kusaba Byanyima, the Executive Director Mulago National Referral Hospital used the platform to reveal to the country how the Hospital is charting a new course towards offering highly specialized medical services, emphasizing that they can only offer that when they have people who have trained as super-specialists.
This strategic move is predicated on building a robust local human resource, specifically super-specialists, whose rigorous training pathway extends beyond a first degree and master’s to include a specialized fellowship. The traditional approach of training abroad, Dr. Byanyima noted, is very expensive. To overcome this, Mulago is actively working with collaborators to build the capacity to train locally. This innovative model involves sponsoring a select few for training abroad, who then return to establish and lead local programs, significantly enhancing the hospital’s self-sufficiency.
She stressed that Mulago is uniquely positioned as an ideal training ground due to its infrastructure, ‘we have the equipment and of course, there are many patients who require the service.’ She mentioned, while Mulago provides the environment, it collaborates with accredited training institutions for official awards.
“The benefits of local training are multifaceted; it not only builds internal capacity but also allows the hospital to continuously identify and address service delivery gaps in infrastructure, equipment, medicines, and sundries,” Dr. Byanyima affirmed. Local training is also cheaper and eases the very strenuous emotional burden on advanced-age trainees with families, who would otherwise have to relocate abroad for years. Crucially, as these experts train, they simultaneously offer services, with patients directly benefiting from their evolving skills.
Additionally, she noted, Mulago leverages collaborations to acquire essential resources, while simultaneously lobbying the government for sustained funding to ensure the long-term continuity and self-procurement of these vital items.
Addressing the escalating challenge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer and diabetes, Dr. Byanyima acknowledged the continuously increasing number of patients, necessitating a proportional increase in human resource infrastructure, medicines and surgeries to be able to meet the demand.
She also revealed Mulago’s role in health education at the tertiary level, empowering patients to disseminate crucial health information within their families and communities, complementing primary healthcare prevention efforts by the Ministry.
According to Ministry of Health, there is an alarming burden of childhood cancer in Uganda, with 1,500 to 3,000 new cases reported annually, yet only 30% access specialized treatment, resulting in tragically low survival rates of 20-30% beyond three years. In this, the Ministry of Health is strengthening its partnership with institutions like Makerere University, recognizing that the role of research and academia is crucial for producing skilled professionals to counter this.
The government on the other hand teveals strategic plans to absorb these new specialists, actively developing human resource structures and mobilizing resources to utilize their skills nationwide, as well there are ongoing efforts to decentralize cancer care through regional centres, like in Gulu, Arua, Mbarara, and Mbale, all of which will strongly need fellows’ expertise to address populous challenges, all geared towards providing Uganda with the best possible quality of care.
These experts will be pivotal in improving care for children with blood disorders and cancers, addressing the country’s high childhood cancer burden and with the Ministry of Health planning will integrate these specialists into the healthcare system and establish regional cancer centers, it will increase access to specialized care, improve treatment outcomes, and enhance the quality of life for children with cancer and blood disorders in Uganda.
