Dr. Edward Kazaire, Director of Kazire Pharmaceuticals, has called on the government to support the establishment of a cancer cell line laboratory, to boost cancer research using local herbal medicine.
The proposed facility would focus on identifying indigenous plants with the potential to treat various forms of cancer, a disease that affects an estimated 33,000 Ugandans each year.
Despite the high number of new cases annually, only a small fraction of patients are able to access treatment at the Uganda Cancer Institute.
Cervical cancer remains the most prevalent type, accounting for approximately 6,959 new cases and 4,607 deaths annually.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the National Science Week 2025 in Kampala, where he was honored as a leading figure in herbal medicine research, Dr. Kazaire emphasized the vast, untapped potential of Uganda’s plant resources in drug discovery.
He also urged fellow scientists to join the initiative, noting that Uganda’s biodiversity is a goldmine for medical innovation. Dr. Kazaire further pointed out that about 60% of Ugandans still rely on herbal remedies, including patients discharged from referral hospitals.
