The prostate is a globular gland located at the base of the penis. It produces seminal fluid that acts as a protective and transport medium for the sperms. Prostate cancer is a cancer that affects the prostate. It is the second most common cancer in men worldwide.
Many prostate cancers grow slowly and are confined to the prostate gland, where they may not cause serious harm. However, while some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and may need minimal or even no treatment, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly.
Most cases of early disease produce no signs and symptoms which is why screening is very important.
There are notable signs and symptoms which include difficulty in passing urine, weak urinary stream, blood stained urine.
With more advanced diseases, patients lose weight, and experience lower back pain, pain in the bones, and lower limb swelling. Prostate cancer that’s detected early, when it is still confined to the prostate gland, has the best chance for successful treatment.
Screening for cervical cancer may be done using the blood measurement of PSA or, less sensitively, using a digital rectal examination.
The American Cancer Society recommends prostate cancer screening for men. All men above the age of 50 who are expected to live for at least 10 more years,
African men above the age of 45, or white men above the age of 45 and with a first-degree relative with cancer of the prostate. All men above the age of 40 with more than one first-degree relative with prostate cancer.
Screening for prostate cancer can be conducted using a simple blood test.
The author is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at UMC Victoria Hospital.
Ugandan soldiers serving under the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) foiled an attempt to breach security at Madina gate in Mogadishu, Somalia which gives access to the basecamp from the city centre on Sunday. According to the statement issued by ATMIS, an unidentified man attempted to gain access into the basecamp which houses the African Union Transition Mission (ATMIS) and United Nations (UN) offices, without undergoing the mandatory security screening. “A vigilant soldier on duty promptly approached the individual, requesting compliance with standard security procedures, including passing through the security scanner for routine security checks. Unfortunately, the individual declined to cooperate and became violent, brandished a knife, and attacked the soldier stabbing him three times on the stomach, the neck and the shoulder” the statement said. In a swift response to the immediate threat, another soldier stationed at the access point neutralised the individual responsible for the attack. ATMIS acknowledges and commends the swift actions of the soldiers involved in this incident. The soldier who sustained serious injuries during this incident was evacuated to ATMIS Level 2 Hospital in Mogadishu and is currently receiving intensive medical care. Both ATMIS and the Somali Security Forces (SSF) are actively conducting a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
Kasubi Royal tombs have been removed off the list of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in danger.
The list includes 55 Heritage sites in danger from 35 countries including Kenya and Tanzania.
The announcement has been made at the ongoing UNESCO conference taking place in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
UNESCO’s decision gives light to the Buganda kingdom for the first time to host both domestic and international tourists since a fire gutted it in March 2010.
With the help of President Yoweri Museveni, Government of Japan, Buganda Kingdom vowed to restore the site. Reconstruction started in 2014.
Kasubi Tombs was built by Mutesa in 1882 and it became a royal burial ground in 1884. It is the burial grounds for four kings of Buganda and other members of the Baganda royal family.
The site is one of 31 royal tombs across the Buganda kingdom since the kingdom was founded in the 13th century. Traditionally, the body of the deceased king was buried in one place, with a separate shrine for the deceased king’s jawbone, believed to contain his soul.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Secretary General, Nandala Mafabi is expected to address several members of the party amid the escalating fights between two top party brasses.
There is ongoing inflight between former presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye and party president Patrick Amuriat. Besigye accuses Amuriat of getting money from the ruling party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to finance his campaigns.
The meeting held at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi is aimed at creating harmony among party members. Several leaders asked Amuriat to stop chairman Wasswa Birigwa’s separate extraordinary delegate’s conference.
According FDC constitution Birigwa is mandated to convene the delegates conference however due to the misunderstanding in the party, Amuriat’s faction which remained at the party headquarters says he will not unless Amuriat authorizes him.
Birigwa’s event set for the September 19 faces funding challenges. Currently Besigye’s faction and other high-ranking party officials convene a crucial gathering with FDC delegates in Greater Masaka.
Yesterday, Boniface Bamwenda Tuterebuka, chairperson of the FDC electoral commission who is also part of Amuriat’s group said at least 30 people have picked nomination forms ahead of the October 6, 2023 delegates’ conference. The conference is scheduled to happen at UMA show grounds, Lugogo in Kampala.
Uganda will start exporting milk products to Algeria in October this year following the completion of the procurement processes between the two countries.
This was revealed by the Executive Director of the Dairy Development Authority (DDA), Mr Samson Akankiza, at the opening of the 16th African Dairy Conference in Kampala on Monday, September 11, 2023.
Akankiza said as part of the agreement signed with Algeria in March this year, they are supposed to export 1.4 billion litres for the first quota.
He said the exporters are Amos Diaries, Brookside Diaries, and Pearl Diaries.
“Since on one side, it is the government buying, and on this side, it is the private companies selling, there was a need to go through the country’s procurement procedures, which all three of our major suppliers have completed,” Mr Akankiza explained.
The development will come as a relief to Uganda, which produces 4 billion litres of milk annually but the sector lacks a reliable market both domestically and outside the country’s borders.
The 16th African Dairy Conference and Exhibition is meant to showcase the opportunities for dairy investment in Africa. It also intends to strategize on the promotion of domestic milk consumption.
Peter Ngaruiya, the Executive Director of the Eastern and Southern African Dairy Association (ESADA), said the protectionist tendencies of most of the governments in the region are a technical barrier to milk trade.
Frank Tumwebaze, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries said “H. E Kaguta Museveni has given us a target of producing 20 billion litres of milk…we can only be able to achieve this through climate smart agriculture.”
Khadija Nakakande, the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) spokesperson, urged Ugandans to embrace milk consumption as a way of supporting fellow Ugandans.
“The government has so far injected over 70 billion shillings in the dairy sector through milk coolers, to improve storage, crossbreed animals for improved production, tractors to farm animal feeds. She adds that they have also supported the establishment of five value additional factories and two more are on the way, and this will total them to seven,” she said.
Uganda’s domestic milk consumption stands at 64 liters per capita annually, which is very low compared to the UN-recommended 200 per capita.
The Territorial Police in Greater Bushenyi and Rubirizi, has in custody, a one Denis Owoyesigyire, a 40-year-old, peasant of Munyonyi II “A” cell, in Rubirizi district, for the gruesome murder by hacking of his wife and 3 children on September, 9, 2023.
SCP Enanga Fred, Police Spokesperson said, “The facts gathered reveal that the suspect returned home, late at night, while drunk, and started quarrelling with his wife, Musimenta Asanasi, a 28-year-old. He picked a machete, and cut his wife on the head and hands, killing her instantly.”
He immediately after attacked his children, and hacked Akandwanaho Andrew, aged four, on the head, Akanyijuka Javira, a three-year-old female juvenile, was cut on the waist. He further picked up their two-month-old son, Atwijukire Davis, and smashed his head.
“The suspect, after killing his wife and three children, escaped to his father’s home where he was arrested,” Enanga said.
Enanga strongly condemned such cruel and inhuman acts of violence, more so within the family.
As indicated, children in toxic domestic settings continue to be at risk. It is unfortunate that the family was killed by a suspect, who was supposed to keep them safe. The suspect is being charged with four counts of murder.
Firefighters trying to put out fire at Entebbe airport.
Allied Democratic Force (ADF) collaborator in Rubirizi has reportedly handed over himself to the joint security agencies in the district of police and the Army, Eagle Online has established.
According to Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson the collaborator who is currently held at Makenke Army Barracks in Mbarara was identified as William Byaruhanga.
“We have an ADF collaborator in Rubirizi who yesterday handed himself to the joint security agencies in the district. He has been identified as William Byaruhanga,” Enanga said.
He implored all other members of the ADF who are filtering in because of the pressure in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to also surrender to the joint security agencies before they are arrested and charged.
The development comes a week after the recovery of six improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The IEDs were recovered within the Central business district in Rubaga division.
The IED were recovered at Miracle Centre, Mabiito in Nateete, Guest House in Ngobe-Bunamwaya while the three other IEDs were recovered at the suspects’ two-roomed houses at Lungujja.
So far six people have been nabbed of the IEDs. According to police spokesperson Fred Enanga, the suspects are linked to the Allied Democratic Force (ADF) terrorists.
In November 2021, the two Forces launched joint air and artillery strikes against ADF camps. The attack on ADF camps follows three terror attacks which claimed four lives and scores injured.
Police said the first explosive occurred at Digida Pork joint in Komamboga, Lungala along Kampala Masaka Highway, Parliamentary Avenue and Kampala Central Police Station (CPS).
Regional Intelligence Chiefs at CIM headquarters after meeting.
The Chief of Military Intelligence, Major General James Birungi has underscored the importance of regional efforts in addressing issues of mutual security concern and tackling the threats of terrorism, drugs, human trafficking and money laundering among others.
This was contained in his speech that was delivered on his behalf by the Commandant National Counter Terrorism Centre, Brigadier General Dominic Twesigomwe during a Defence Intelligence Exchange Meeting between the Military Intelligence of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces and the Defence Intelligence of the South Africa National Defence Forces that was held today at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs Headquarters – Mbuya.
“Addressing the above threats requires concerted bilateral regional efforts. This meeting is one of such efforts of sharing and exchanging intelligence and proposing ways of jointly dealing with these threats,” said Maj Gen Birungi.
Maj Gen Birungi underscored Uganda’s contribution towards regional stabilization efforts in the East African Community Regional Force in DRC, and the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) among others.
Colonel Otsile Benedict Segami who led the SANDF Intelligence delegation said that the meeting comes at the backdrop of positive global developments of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Summit that was held in South Africa and the Uganda – South Africa Trade and Investment Summit that was held in Kampala.
“This is a good stepping stone not only for the business domain but also boils down to us as a security cluster fostering relations between the two governments,” said Col Segami.
Col Segami reiterated the significance of the meeting and said, “The importance of this meeting is to deliberate on shared interests in enhancing regional and continental defence and security. We must continue to engage one another so that we find amicable solutions to the problems affecting not only our countries but also the security of the continent.”
The National Unity Platform Principal Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine will be arrested and charged with sectarianism talk following the recent comments in Luweero during his nationwide mobilization.
While in Luweero, Kyagulanyi said that Uganda is being ruled by a small group of people that is Museveni, his family and relatives who look at Baganda people as a curse in their own land.
Police have said Kyagulanyi is going to be investigated for making such comments publicly.
“Such comments normally attract the attention of any investigative body. Once the facts are gathered and analysed by our teams, the opinion of the DPP will be sought to guide on any further action,” Director of CID, Tom Magambo, said.
“Uganda is being ruled by a group of small people who are controlling everything. These are the people who have enslaved us on our own land. I need to tell you these things because I am taking on the responsibility to make you people aware of the truth. What is sad is that the Museveni regime is using fellow Baganda to oppress the Baganda,” Bobi Wine said.
“They openly practice tribalism & nepotism in every sphere and institution, but they’re not ashamed to blame those who expose it and call them out. What a bunch of hypocrites!” Bobi Wine accused.
“Fellow Baganda, who bewitched us? Museveni thinks he is going to build a dynasty on the land of our ancestors in Buganda. Over my dead body, that will not happen,” he added.
He is today expected to head to Hoima and extend his message to the supporters.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has insisted that the digital motor number plates project must go on as planned, saying it will be very vital in fighting crime in Uganda.
“Now, I’m insisting on the issue of electronic number plates; It will be a very big blow to crime because most of the people move to and from the scene of crime by either a vehicle or a boda boda,” said President Museveni who is also the Commander in Chief of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
The President made the remarks today as he passed out 2,234 Uganda Prisons Service Officers at Kololo Independence Grounds. The commissioned officers included 200 Cadet Assistant Superintendents of Prisons (CASPs), 318 Cadet Principal Officers (CPOs) and 1,716 Recruit Warders and Wardresses.
Gen. Museveni noted that if the crime gap is closed through the use of the digital number plates, it will be very difficult for the criminals to do what they are doing now because walking to and from the crime scene will not be a walk in the park.
“All those arguments which are going on should come down and the project be done so that the issue is resolved,” he emphasized.
The CCTV cameras and the fingerprinting of the guns of the security forces are also helping in fighting crime but I hear they were not included in the army. I direct all the army guns to be fingerprinted like all the others. They can be kept separately and may be under military police but every gun must be fingerprinted,” he added.
On the other hand, President Museveni congratulated the graduates and thanked them for persevering up to the end of their training.
President Museveni also thanked the Commissioner General of the Uganda Prisons Service, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija and the Prison staff for rebuilding the Prison service from the low level up to where it is now.
“I want to thank the Commissioner General and his staff for contributing to the peace of Uganda by building the prison service from the low level of where it was to what it is now,” he noted.
According to President Museveni, the Prisons have four tasks; that is to reform the criminals, skill them so when they get out of prison, they have skills they didn’t have before, punish according to the law and then contribute to wealth Creation efforts.
President Museveni further told the graduates to protect their health and embrace the knowledge they acquired from training and use it wherever they will be deployed and also be patriotic.
He promised to support the Uganda Prisons Service with equipment and any other support they will need. However, he added that he has no problem with the Prisons supplying uniforms to the armed forces but cautioning that he will not allow the importation of fabric.
President Museveni also cautioned the Prisons Service officers against indulging in corruption, in their respective tasks.
“In doing all this whether you are police, prison or the army, fight corruption because it is a disgrace and a big waste of public resources,” President Museveni warned.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Maj. Gen. (Rtd). Kahinda Otafiire congratulated the trainees and encouraged them to be patriotic in their next endeavours.
On his part, Dr. Byabashaija thanked the President for boosting the Prisons service numbers, saying that it has greatly improved the performance of the force.
He also thanked the Chief Justice, His Lordship Alfonse Owiny-Dollo for reducing the number of inmates on remand compared to those on convict through offering timely justice to Ugandans.
However, Dr. Byabashaija noted with concern that Uganda Prisons Service still has a challenge of machinery equipment like tractors to use to plough the land for agriculture.
“We cannot do sufficient farming, we have to engage the machines,” he noted.
Dr. Byabashaija cautioned the graduates to stick to the Prison Service Commission core values if they want their careers to be worthwhile.
The pass out ceremony was attended by the Chief Justice, His Lordship Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, Auditor General Mr. John Muwanga, senior army and police officers among others.
