Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng has stated that the government intends to make prostate cancer screening mandatory for all males aged 45 and older.
She made these remarks during the 2nd Africa Test and Treat Initiative Conference against Cancer and other NCDs with key stakeholders, including policymakers, on Thursday, February 1, 2024.
Aceng said that this follows the fact that prostate cancer is the leading cancer among men in Uganda.
The 2nd Africa Test and Treat Initiative Conference against Cancer and other NCDs aims at enhancing awareness of early detection and diagnosis for quality cancer prevention and control via test and treat initiatives for predisposing factors.
The theme of the 2nd Test and Treat Cancer was “Together we challenge those in power to close the care gap for NCDs,” which highlights the importance of good individual lifestyle decisions for a healthy life.
On Thursday, February 1, 2024, the World Health Organisation’s Cancer Agency released a statement warning the world that the number of new cancer cases will rise to more than 35 million in 2050 (77%) higher than the figure in 2022.
According to Ministry of Health reports, in Uganda, the incidence of prostate cancer is increasing at a rate of 5.2% annually.