By Ben MusanjeCabinet has approved Government’s plan to borrow up to €31.98 million (about Shs139 billion) from France to finance the construction and equipping of a regional oncology center in Mbarara.The decision was announced on Tuesday by Minister for ICT and National Guidance Justine Kasule Lumumba while briefing the media at the Uganda Media Centre on resolutions of Cabinet’s eighth meeting, held Monday at State House, Entebbe.The proposed Mbarara Regional Oncology Centre will be established under the Uganda Cancer Institute and is intended to expand access to cancer diagnosis and treatment in western Uganda.Lumumba said the investment is necessary as Uganda continues to face a significant cancer burden, with many patients travelling to Kampala or seeking treatment abroad.According to Uganda Cancer Institute statistics cited by the minister, Uganda records about 36,000 new cancer cases annually, but only 8,764 patients reached the institute at Mulago in 2025.She said between 80 and 87 percent of cancer patients in Uganda present for treatment when the disease is already at an advanced stage, underscoring the need to improve early detection and bring services closer to communities.“The Mbarara Regional Oncology Centre will help to close this gap,” Lumumba said, adding that the facility will expand access to diagnosis and treatment while strengthening referral systems.The center is also expected to support cancer prevention, community outreach, early detection and treatment services across the western region.Government says the project is part of efforts to strengthen health infrastructure and advance universal health coverage, while reducing the financial and emotional burden of cancer on patients and their families.The approval comes as Uganda seeks to decentralize specialized healthcare services that remain concentrated in Kampala, where the Uganda Cancer Institute at Mulago currently carries much of the country’s cancer diagnosis and treatment burden.Cabinet’s approval of the French financing proposal is subject to the applicable government processes for securing the loan and implementing the project. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).