Hematology in Uganda

Hematologic Cancerous Diseases are the fourth most common diseases in Uganda. The Ugandan population suffers from leukemia, Sickle Cell Disease, and other hematologic diseases. Earlier, the condition of hospitals in Uganda was not good. They lacked advanced technologies, and experts were not well-trained and experienced. But later, because of many programs and government initiatives, Uganda provides the best treatment for Cancerous disease by performing successful Bone Marrow Transplants and other procedures. The Hematology cost in Uganda is affordable, and treatments are cheaper compared to other countries because of the now Ugandan hospitals have experts within the hospitals.

History of Hematology in Uganda:

Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) plays an important role in the Ugandan history of treatments of Hematologic Diseases. UCI is a public health center in Uganda. UCI’s primary focus is research, consultation, and education on cancer treatment in pediatrics, oncology, gynecology, radiotherapy, and bone marrow transplants. The first step towards developing hematology treatments in Uganda was building Lymphoma Treatment Centre (LTC) in August 1967.

An agreement was made between the NCI and Makerere University, the largest tertiary institution in Uganda, to establish a lymphoma clinic in one of the few remaining structures that once served as the old Mulago Hospital. The patients could stay longer for treatment and observation at this location. The old Mulago hospital’s 18-bed ward was converted into the lymphoma treatment center.

Slowly with the success of the Lymphoma Treatment Centre, UCI started with the Solid Tumor Centre (STC) in 1969. With the help of top surgeons, both centers were connected to provide the best services to patients suffering from cancerous diseases.

Hematology Cost in Uganda

Cost of  Top Hematology Procedures in Uganda

Bone marrow transplant:

It replaces unhealthy stem cells from the spongy center of the bone with healthy cells from other parts of the body or a donor’s body; the procedure is also known as a stem cell transplant. The bone marrow transplant cost in Uganda is $46,570. Damaged bone marrow produces insufficient immune system cells and insufficient blood cells. A transplant can treat some conditions, including some cancers. It also entails a protracted healing period and the potential for side effects.

Sickle Cell Disease

Hemoglobin in a healthy person is smooth, round, and flexible. This enables red blood cells to move freely through your bloodstream. However, if a person has Sickle Cell Disease, the shape of the hemoglobin is abnormal. As a result, red blood cells become rigid and curved. The unusually shaped cells obstruct blood flow. The treatment cost of Sickle cell disease in Uganda is $5,504.

Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplant:

A bone marrow transplant (BMT) procedure is used to restore blood-forming cells that specific diseases have harmed. During an allogeneic transplant, stem cells are taken from a donor and used to replenish the patient’s bone marrow. The allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant cost in Uganda is $49,392. If a donor is available, a bone marrow transplant can be performed using either an identical twin donor or a matched donor.

Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant:

An autologous bone marrow transplant replaces blood-producing cells that have been lost or damaged with healthy ones that the patient has previously donated. After this high-dose therapy, patients are given their cells to replace the destroyed ones. The patient’s blood and/or bone marrow are drawn and frozen to create new cells. Once the patients are prepared for the transplant, they are kept in storage. The cost of an Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant in Uganda is $46,570.

Leukemia Treatment

A rise in the body’s white blood cell count can result in leukemia, a blood cancer. These white blood cells compete with the body’s required red blood cells and platelets for space. The additional white blood cells are dysfunctional. The cost of Leukemia Treatment in Uganda is $10,584. The type of leukemia, the extent of its spread, and the patient’s overall health all influence the type of treatment received.

Lymphoma Treatment

Lymphocytes are immune system cells fighting infection, where lymphoma, a type of cancer, first appears. These cells can be found in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, and other organs. Lymphocytes change and overgrow when one has lymphoma. The Lymphoma Treatment cost in Uganda is $11,007. The outlook for lymphoma varies depending on the type and stage of the disease, and it is very treatable.

Aplastic Anemia:

When a person has insufficient or no stem cells, aplastic anemia develops. They may develop aplastic anemia due to genetics or because drugs, radiation, chemotherapy, or an infection damaged the bone marrow. The bone marrow is also frequently affected by leukemia or multiple myeloma, among other cancers. Sometimes aplastic anemia has an unclear cause. The cost of Aplastic Anemia treatment in Uganda is $4,234.

Multiple Myeloma:

Kahler’s disease also called multiple myeloma, is a form of blood cancer. Plasma cells, a subtype of white blood cells, produce antibodies that help the body fight infections. These cells multiply incorrectly in multiple myeloma patients. They overfilled the blood and bones with immunoglobulin, a type of protein. It accumulates all over the body and harms the organs. The multiple myeloma treatment costs in Uganda around $7,056.

Conditions treated by Hematology Procedures in Uganda.

• Multiple myeloma
• Acute lymphocytic leukemia
• Benign hematologic conditions
• Aplastic anemia
• Bleeding disorders
• Leukemia
• Lymphoma
• Hemoglobinopathies
• Amyloidosis
• Hemophilia

Why choose Uganda for Hematology?

Quality Hospital for Treatment: Uganda has one of the best hospitals providing quality services, and the treatment is comparable to world-class standards. Hematology Hospitals in Uganda have advanced technology to treat patients from all over the country.

Top Surgeons: Hematologists in Uganda are well-trained to deal with complicated treatments of Hematology. They are experts in performing bone marrow transplants and treating cancerous diseases.

Low-Cost treatment: The cost of hematology treatment is high in many countries, but the cost of treatment at Ugandan Hospitals is minimal compared to other countries. Advanced treatment to patients is provided at affordable cost in Uganda.

Technologies used for Hematology Surgery in Uganda

Following Top Technologies used by the hospital in Uganda to give treatment to patients:

• Pre-transfusion testing
• Multi-Angle Polarized Scatter Separation technology
• RBC alloantibody screening
• Electrical impedance
• Flow cytometry
• Fluorescent flow cytometry

Hematology Reviews in Uganda

Uganda has one of the highest success rates of Hematology worldwide, and few hospitals offer improved Hematology. Hospitals in Uganda have access to cutting-edge Hematology equipment and technology for patient care. Due to Uganda’s availability of the same level of care, Hematology patients do not need to travel outside the country for treatment. Patients in Uganda have given Hematology surgery favorable reviews.

UCI-Fred Hutch Collaboration in Uganda

Since 2007, the US NIH Fogarty International Center has funded clinical training at Fred Hutch for UCI doctors. An Adult Hematology Oncology Fellowship was introduced in 2018 by UCI, Fred Hutch, Makerere University, Mulago Hospital, and the University of Washington.

The UCI-Fred Hutch Collaboration is advancing hematologic cancerous diseases clinical treatment and cancer research. The Collaboration is done to put historical emphasis on virus-associated cancers to conduct high-impact treatment studies and research on other types of hematologic malignancies. In addition, due to the best infrastructure investments, correlative cancer research can be carried out in Uganda’s cutting-edge labs at the UCI-Fred Hutch Cancer Centre.

In 2015, Fred Hutch inaugurated the UCI-Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Kampala. The 25,000-square-foot facility includes biomedical and life science laboratories and outpatient and research facilities. An expert workforce in cancer research was created.

Adult Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program (AHO-FTP)

The adult Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program at Uganda Cancer Institute is a collaborative program organized between UCI, Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH),  Makerere College of Health Sciences (MakCHS), University of Washington, Seattle-USA, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre (FHCRC). This collaborative program was organized to provide advanced training under qualified healthcare professionals in East Africa and clinical training to the oncologists and hematologists of Uganda and other East African Countries.  The program lasts 18 months and consists of clinical in-patient and outpatient practice, detailed clinical practice, and six months of training in research provided to the hematologists.

The main goal of starting the program was to provide a good number of hematologists in Uganda and train them with advanced technologies and techniques so that they provide successful treatments for Cancerous diseases. It helped to gain clinical advancement to manage cancerous diseases and disorders. The collaboration was between top hospitals in Uganda, and other African countries, the hospitals involved are as follows:

Uganda Cancer Institute /Regional Centres

Mulago National Referral Hospital

Makerere College of Health Sciences

Uganda Blood Transfusion Services (UBTS)

Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC)

Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI)-Tanzania

Aga-Khan University Hospital (AKUH)-Kenya FHCRC/UW

Medical Insurance Companies for Hematology in Uganda

Hematology Surgeries and treatments are costlier, as the government provides the free or low-cost treatment. However; the Ugandan government hospital does not perform Hematology Surgery well. As a result, private hospitals provide the best Hematology Surgery services in Uganda. Top medical insurance providers in Uganda that cover Hematology include:

• Jubilee Life Insurance Company Uganda
• Britam Insurance Uganda
• Insurance Regulatory Authority
• Liberty Life Assurance Uganda
• Sanlam Uganda General Insurance
• AAR Insurance Uganda

Success Rate of Hematology Surgery in Uganda

The success rate of hematology procedures varies significantly between patients. Several deciding factors can help predict the success rate in a specific case. These factors include the patient’s medical history, the surgeon’s and hospital’s experience, age, and overall health status. In Uganda, the scope of hematology treatment is vast. The bone marrow transplant successfully treats various blood-related disorders such as sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and aplastic anemia.

Hematology Surgery Hospitals in Uganda

Best Hematology Surgeons in Uganda

Dr. Priscilla Namaganda

Dr. Priscilla Namaganda currently works at Holy Virika Hospital in the Kaborole District in Uganda. He is an experienced hematologist with a high success rate of results.

Dr. Kenneth Ochen

Dr. Kenneth Ochen is a well-known hematologist in central Kampala; he is trained at a top institute in Uganda and performs surgeries at a high success rate. Past patients give good reviews of Dr. Kenneth Ochen.

Dr. Clement Dove Okello

Dr. Clement Dove Okello is a popular hematologist in Uganda, and he has made an outstanding contribution to the Improving Treatment for Patients With Lymphoma.

Dr. Francis Ssali

Dr. Francis Ssali practices at the Joint Clinical Research Centre and Makerere University Medical School; he is a physician who practices and teaches HIV medicine, internal medicine, and hematology. He also participates in the National ART Committee and Technical Working Group of the Uganda Ministry of Health, the National HIV-Drug Resistance Committee, and the Third-Line ART Committee.

Dr. Musa Waiswa

Dr. Musa Waiswa holds several positions at Makerere University College of Health Sciences in Uganda, including Medical Officer Special Grade/Honorary Lecturer and Coordinator of the McMaster-Makerere International Outreach Program. Dr. Musa Kasadhakawo Waiswa is the Head of Hematology in the Department of Medicine at Mulago Hospital.

FAQs on Hematology in Uganda