<span style="font-family: helvetica;">Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Uganda Cancer Institute to provide as many as 400 cancer patients with free radiotherapy treatment. The MOU was as a result of discussions between the two institutions following the Hospital’s commitment announced earlier in the year to help save the lives of cancer patients in need while the government of Uganda works to re-establish its radiation therapy capacity.</span><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The MOU was signed in the presence of the Under Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Mr. Ronald Segawa, Dr Jackson Orem, Director, Uganda Cancer Institute, Ambassador Amin Mawji, OBE, Diplomatic Representative, A</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ga Khan Development Network in Uganda, Mr Al- Karim Haji, Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, Aga Khan University (AKU) and Mr Shawn Bolouki, Chief Executive Officer (AKUH).</span><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dr Orem said “the relationship between the Aga Khan University Hospital and the Government of Uganda has been ongoing for a long while now, and when the crisis hit, the AKUH responded in kind”. He added, “We are glad that all outstanding issues pertaining to the clinical, administrative and financial aspects of this partnership have now been ironed out and a clear procedure will be followed to ensure that Ugandan patients receive treatment from the Aga Khan University Hospital.”</span><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Mr Shawn Bolouki emphasized the University Hospital’s commitment to increasing access to specialized care to those in need through public private partnerships with other institutions such as the Uganda Cancer Institute.  He said “The citizens of Uganda do not have to travel overseas to access high quality healthcare as these services are available here in our region. Our Heart and Cancer Centre has two dedicated radiotherapy units, a multidisciplinary team of specialists and provides a wide range of cancer care that meets international standards.”</span><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><span style="font-family: helvetica;">“Aga Khan University’s vision is that, in time, Ugandans will no longer need to leave Uganda to receive world class healthcare. This is one of the primary motivations of AKU to establish the Aga Khan University Hospital in Kampala.  We appreciate the support, encouragement and confidence of the Government of Uganda to establish a teaching hospital in Kampala,” said Al-Karim Haji.</span><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Services offered at the AKUH- Heart and Centre in Nairobi include early detection and screening programmes, specialised diagnostics, chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments, as well as palliative and rehabilitation programmes.</span><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The radiotherapy treatments will be paid for by AKUH- Patient Welfare Programme, which is funded by the hospital and augmented by individual and corporate donors and provides subsidized medical care to needy patients.</span><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Aga Khan University (AKU) is committed to combatting the growth of non-communicable diseases such as cancer and heart disease. AKU faculty members are researching ways to combat the rise of non-communicable diseases in East Africa.  Recently the Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKU-SONAM) introduced a specialty diploma in nursing oncology, becoming the first University to offer the course in the region.  Other healthcare related investments include construction of a new Aga Khan University Hospital in Kampala (AKUH-Kampala) in addition to the already existing world class medical centres in Kampala.</span><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><br style="font-family: helvetica;"/><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Aga Khan University Hospital in Kampala will be part of the Aga Khan Development Network’s (AKDN) extensive health care system in East Africa, including AKUH-Nairobi and its 46 medical and diagnostic clinics in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania as well as three other hospitals and additional health centres operated by the Aga Khan Health Services.</span>