Every year, over 100,000 children in sub-Saharan Africa are diagnosed with cancer, yet far too many face an uphill battle to survive the disease due to critical gaps in infrastructure, financial constraints and delays in treatment. In a transformative initiative aimed at improving childhood cancer care in Uganda, the Ministry of Health of Uganda and Texas Children’s Global HOPE (Hematology-Oncology Pediatric Excellence) program, in partnership with Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), unveiled a state-of-the-art pharmacy at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala.
The new pharmacy features one of Uganda’s first chemotherapy clean rooms, with advanced air and temperature controls, ensuring the drugs prepared are safe, sterile and effective before they get to the patient. A biological safety cabinet further protects both the quality of the chemotherapy drugs and the healthcare workers who prepare them, protecting against toxic exposure.
Through our shared vision to expand treatment availability, enhance medical technology, and train more providers, we will continue to improve survival rates.
“This new facility has truly transformed the way we prepare chemotherapy and strengthens Mulago’s ability to deliver highly specialized medical services,” said Dr. Rosemary Byanyima, the Executive Director of Mulago National Referral Hospital.
The opening was celebrated in February 2025 during a special ceremony officiated by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Dr. Diana Atwine, LCIF, District 411B Lion leaders, executive leadership of Mulago National Referral Hospital, and Texas Children’s Global HOPE.
2024-2025 LCIF Chairperson Dr. Patti Hill shared her gratitude for the collaboration and the impact it brings to people in need. “Thank you to our friends at Texas Children’s Hospital, the healthcare staff at Mulago National Referral Hospital, and the Lions in the region who are helping bring awareness to resources like these that are available to families who face immense challenges upon learning their child has cancer,” she said.
“I know we will continue to work together to help those children most in need. Through our shared vision to expand treatment availability, enhance medical technology, and train more providers, we will continue to improve survival rates,” she added.
LCIF has partnered with Texas Children’s Global HOPE since 2019. Through this partnership, Global HOPE has supported the treatment of nearly 23,000 children, trained over 6,700 healthcare workers and created three state-of-the-art chemotherapy pharmacies. Efforts have led to thousands of children cured from cancer in Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Lions in these countries are involved in supporting community-based initiatives with a focus on psychosocial support for children and families during cancer treatment and creating grassroots awareness of childhood cancer.
To learn more about the LCIF-Global HOPE partnership, visit: www.lionsclubs.org/globalhope
Andrea Small is senior marketing and public relations specialist for the Lions Clubs International Foundation Marketing Department.
