Funded by the European Union
Department of Biotechnology Government of India

Uganda

About cervical cancer in Uganda

The crude incidence rate of cervical cancer in Uganda is estimated at 30 per 100 000, while the mortality rate was estimated at 19.9 per 100 000. The age-standardized incidence rate is 56.2 per 100000, while the age-standardized mortality rate is 41.4 per 100 000. According to these estimates, cervical cancer has simultaneously the highest incidence and mortality rate of all cancers in the country. The HPV Information Centre provides a crude incidence rate estimate of 28.8 for 2018. A 2011 review reported a number of estimates of high-risk HPV prevalence from 20 studies, ranging from 10.2% to 40% among HIV negative women and ranging from 37% to 100% among HIV positive women. The HPV prevalence estimates among women with normal cytology included in the HPV Information Centre report range from as low as 15.2% in women aged 25-60 to as high as 73.2% in women aged 12-24. Most of the prevalence studies were conducted prior to the introduction of the HPV vaccination programs in Uganda; therefore, these estimates may not reflect the current situation.


Healthcare governance

The Ministry of Health is responsible for overseeing Uganda’s largely decentralized healthcare system. Uganda’s health facilities are classified into seven levels based on the services they provide and the catchment area they are intended to serve. The health facilities are designated as Health Centre level one (HC I) to Health Centre Level four (HC IV), General hospital, Regional Referral hospital and National Referral hospital. The Uganda Cancer Institute is an autonomous body that coordinates the management of cancer treatment and prevention in the country.

General health policy/strategy

The current strategic document of Uganda’s healthcare system is the Second National
Health Policy document, released in 2010. Prevention and early diagnosis are generally proclaimed as one of the focus areas of the policy. The Health Sector Development Plan 2015/16-2019/20 is another strategic document, outlining the medium-term development agenda for the country’s healthcare system. The document does not appear to include specific provisions related to cervical cancer screening.

Cancer policy/strategy

There does not appear to be a dedicated cancer policy document at the governing level. The most relevant document in this regard is Uganda Cancer Institute’s Strategic Plan for 2015/16-2019/20, which includes some provisions and target indicators related to cervical cancer treatment and screening.

Cervical cancer policy/strategy

The Strategic Plan for Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control in Uganda 2010 2014
includes a number of proposals and recommendations on the implementation of cervical cancer screening in Uganda.

Cervical cancer screening policy/strategy

Screening is conducted opportunistically using VIA and is targeted for women aged 25-49 at
a 3-year interval for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative women and every year
for HIV-positive women. Lack of resources and infrastructure deficiencies result in a very low uptake of screening.

HPV immunization policy/strategy

Following several pilot projects between 2008 and 2012, a country-wide HPV vaccination
program was launched in 2015. Uptake appeared to vary considerably between vaccine doses, with estimates of 80% coverage for the first vaccine dose from 2015 to 2017, while
the second dose coverage ranged from 22% in 2016 to 39% in 2017.

Consortium partners working in Uganda

Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme: URDT is an NGO that has implemented a cervical cancer project in Kagadi District since 2017 using the Tell, See and Treat methodology, which includes sensitizing community members on cervical cancer prevention and control measures. URDT collaborates with the Uganda Cancer Institute at the national level and the health department in Kagadi District to implement, monitor and report about the progress of the project. URDT will oversee the implementation of the project in local communities, including the dissemination of information, communication with stakeholders, data management, coordination, screening and treatment of precancerous lesions, follow-up and reporting. The URDT cervical cancer team works closely with the URDT community-based staff, community leaders, Village Health Teams (VHT) to mobilise community members to participate in program activities

Uganda Cancer Institute: UCI is a government entity with autonomy to prevent, control and coordinate cancer related activities, as well as cancer research, in Uganda. UCI is involved in support, supervision and monitoring of an on-going project by Clinton Health Access Initiative looking at acceptability and operational feasibility of HPV testing in HIV positive women as a primary cervical cancer screening method. It is also involved in another ongoing project of integrating HPV testing into HIV care in 604 health care facilities across the country. UCI will lead the implementation of the project in Uganda. The UCI laboratory is equipped with a GeneXpert system to perform HPV tests and all necessary equipment to do further pathology tests. With screening clinics available throughout the country, UCI is capable of conducting the project in any part of the country.

Some of our activities in Uganda

NRM Liberation Day in Uganda – Raising awareness about preventing cervical cancer

Field visit Dr. Jogchum Beltman from Female Cancer Foundation

Impact areas where we are working

Ver pantalla completa

Epidemiology SummaryCountry data
Population (million)42.89
Female population aged 20-29 (million)3.97
Female population aged 30-59 (million)5.02
HPV prevalence (%)10.2% – 40%
Cervical cancer incidence rate (crude, per 100 000)30
Cervical cancer incidence rate (age-standardized, per 100 000)56.2
Cervical cancer mortality (crude, per 100 000)19.9
Cervical cancer mortality (age- standardized, per 100 000)41.4
Available/recommended method of screeningVIA
Type of screeningOpportunistic
Is there a national strategy/program dedicated to cancer?No – potentially substituted by UCI Strategic Plan 2015/16 – 2019/20
Is there a national strategy/program dedicated to cervical cancer?Unlikely – latest available program dated 2010-2014
Target age group in the project (years)25 – 49

News from Uganda

Working together to bring cervical screening where it is needed most
Working together to bring cervical screening where it is needed most

The PRESCRIP-TEC team, representatives from the Female Cancer Foundation, Friendship, and the Uganda Rural Development Programme. The PRESCRIP-TEC Project is…

WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative: from call to action to global movement
WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative: from call to action to global movement

Read about how WHO's cervical cancer elimination initiative grew from a call to action to a global movement. Download the…

VHTs in Uganda: Empowering women and saving lives in hard-to-reach settings
VHTs in Uganda: Empowering women and saving lives in hard-to-reach settings

The members of village health teams are part of their communities. They are playing a very important role in the…

The PRESCRIP-TEC consortium met for the first time in person
The PRESCRIP-TEC consortium met for the first time in person

The PRESCRIP-TEC consortium met for the first time in person in Groningen on Thursday 30 and Friday 31 March. The…

PRESCRIP-TEC wins award in Knowledge sharing competition at GACD conference
PRESCRIP-TEC wins award in Knowledge sharing competition at GACD conference

The Prevention and Screening Innovation Project towards Elimination of Cervical Cancer (PRESCRIP-TEC) won the Community Choice award in the Knowledge…

Strengthening communication ties and supporting the PRESCRIP-TEC fieldwork in Uganda
Strengthening communication ties and supporting the PRESCRIP-TEC fieldwork in Uganda

This year the Connaxis communications team visited all four countries where the PRESCRIP-TEC project is being carried out. Uganda was…

Cervical cancer elimination eay of ection: PRESCRIP-TEC joins the Movement!
Cervical cancer elimination eay of ection: PRESCRIP-TEC joins the Movement!

Cervical cancer could be the world's first cancer eliminated ever if we follow the Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative of the…

Field visit to Uganda health centres
Field visit to Uganda health centres

In April Dr. Frederik van Slooten, supervisory doctor with the Female Cancer Foundation paid a successful visit to Uganda. He…

Glorious’ cervical screening story
Glorious’ cervical screening story

Health volunteer Glorious had some serious personal health concerns about cancer. Through cervical cancer training and the opportunity for cervical…

Uganda health teams trained in PRESCRIP-TEC AWACAN tool
Uganda health teams trained in PRESCRIP-TEC AWACAN tool

PRESCRIP-TEC partners trained village health teams in Kakumiro district, Uganda. The training was in the use of the AWACAN tool.

PRESCRIP-TEC aligns with EU cancer screening recommendations
PRESCRIP-TEC aligns with EU cancer screening recommendations

The EU released a scientific opinion providing recommendations on how to improve existing cancer screening programmes, including for cervical cancer.

HPV prevention is vital to end cervical cancer
HPV prevention is vital to end cervical cancer

HPV awareness day is a campaign focused on HPV prevention – the first step to end cervical cancer as a…

One year of the Cervical Cancer Elimination movement. What is PRESCRIP-TEC doing?
One year of the Cervical Cancer Elimination movement. What is PRESCRIP-TEC doing?

On 17th November 2021 we are celebrating the Cervical Cancer Elimination movement. Know what PRESCRIP-TEC is doing.

PRESCRIP-TEC Nominated for Computable Awards 2021 in the Care Project Category
PRESCRIP-TEC Nominated for Computable Awards 2021 in the Care Project Category

Cervical cancer is a leading cause of death among women in resource-poor or hard-to-reach settings in the world, especially sub-Saharan…

Towards elimination of cervical cancer
Towards elimination of cervical cancer

Jaap Koot, coordinator of PRESCRIP-TEC, talked about cervical cancer at the International Student Congress of (bio)Medical Sciences (ISCOMS)