Kotido joins Uganda in cancer awareness, fundraising run

31 August 2025, 12:19 pm

By Stanley Ebele

Corporate workers of Kotido district and Centenary bank on Sunday joined the rest of the country in a cancer awareness run.

The run was meant to raise community awareness about cancer but also fundraise for Uganda Rotary Cancer Program (URCP).

URCP has earmarked August 31 annually for a cancer run, an event meant to fundraise for cancer treatment and scale up awareness about the deadly disease.  

The money raised through the fundraisers is channeled to Uganda Rotary Cancer Program (URCP) to support the pursuit of adequate treatment for cancer patients in Uganda.

Founded in 2011, URCP hopes to transform cancer care in Uganda. The rotary aims to provide life-saving early detection, specialised treatment, and continuous support to those affected by cancer.

The Kotido run was joined by at least 40 – 50 runners mainly corporates in the run that kicked off from Centenary bank Kotido branch through Kotido round-about running through Seed Scheme, Abim Road, Narikapet, Lomukura and then Entebbe Area and ending at Centenary Bank building, next to Etoil A Karamoja Radio.

Paul Lote Komol, the Kotido District Chairperson and chief runner of the cancer campaign said the run was aimed at creating awareness to the people of Kotido and Uganda at large about the danger of cancer and the need for early screening.

He encouraged all people to take advantage of health camps to carry out diagnosis of the killer disease.

Benson Otule, Kotido Assistant Centenary Bank Manager said he was impressed with the turn up of residents for the run. He said the annual event has been receiving low participation in the previous years but due to good mobilisation and the positive attitude from local partners, the participation was good.

He also thanked the people of Kotido for upholding the vision of a healthy population by donating for the cancer course. Otule encouraged the general population to come forward and donate any amount they can to support the Uganda Rotary Cancer Program.

Founded in 2011 Uganda Rotary Cancer Program (URCP) is in partnerships with St. Francis’ Hospital Nsambya, Centenary Bank, and others, to operate a state-of-the-art cancer ward at the hospital.

This year, Centenary Bank has contributed 500 million shillings toward equipping the hospital with the necessary machines for diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

A statement released by Centenary Bank ahead of the run said once the target a state-of-the-art cancer ward at the Nsambia Hospital is accomplished, then the partnership will focus on building four similar centres in four major regions of the country to ensure that services are nearer the people.

In Uganda, an estimated 22,992 to 24,629 people die from cancer annually, according to data.