Mulago Hospital Performs First Keyhole Surgery to Remove Prostate Cancer

KAMPALA — Mulago National Referral Hospital has achieved a major milestone after doctors successfully carried out the first-ever laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, a keyhole surgery used to remove the prostate gland in a patient with prostate cancer.

The surgery was performed on a 73-year-old man, using small cuts in the stomach and a camera to guide the doctors.

This modern method is less painful and helps patients heal faster.

According to Dr. Badru Ssekitooleko, the urologist who led the operation, many Ugandans travel abroad, especially to India and South Africa, for this kind of surgery.

“For such a procedure, patients usually spend over 100 million shillings abroad,” he said.

“But at Mulago, the cost is subsidised so more Ugandans can access treatment here at home.”

Cancer burden

Uganda continues to see rising cancer cases.

According to the Uganda Cancer Institute, an estimated 33,000 new cancer cases are recorded every year, with prostate cancer among the most common in men.

Many patients present late, making treatment difficult and more expensive.

Health experts say early detection and routine screening can significantly reduce deaths.

This achievement follows another major step for Mulago Hospital, which recently started offering Uganda’s first-ever Cardiac MRI services.

This state-of-the-art scan produces detailed images of the heart and blood vessels, helping doctors diagnose heart diseases faster and more accurately.

The service, offered in collaboration with the Uganda Heart Institute, will save Ugandans millions of shillings that they would have spent travelling abroad for advanced heart tests.

Growing number of prostate patients

Mulago’s urology clinic receives 120 to 159 patients every week, and about 60% have prostate-related problems, including prostate enlargement and prostate cancer.

Doctors warn that many men still come when the disease has already advanced.

“Early screening is the best way to prevent prostate cancer from becoming life-threatening,” Dr. Ssekitooleko said.

Why this surgery matters

The laparoscopic radical prostatectomy has several benefits:

• Less blood loss

• Less pain

• Smaller cuts

• Shorter hospital stay

• Faster recovery

The term “radical” means the surgeons remove all the cancer from the body.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer starts when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably inside the prostate gland.

The prostate is a small gland below the bladder that plays a role in the male reproductive system.

By performing this advanced surgery and launching cardiac MRI services, Mulago Hospital is proving that world-class treatment is increasingly available within Uganda. These breakthroughs will help reduce medical tourism, lower costs for families, and improve survival for patients who need specialised care.

For many Ugandans, these developments represent not just progress, but hope.