National – In the hushed corridors of St. Francis Hospital Nsambya, hope is finding new roots—this time in the shape of an ambitious cancer treatment facility spearheaded by Centenary Bank and Rotary Uganda. While many know Centenary for its financial outreach, a recent pledge of over UGX 600 million signals its determination to reshape healthcare access in Uganda.
Centenary Bank’s relationship with the Rotary Cancer Run spans more than a decade. Since launching in its early years, the bank has consistently supported the initiative—injecting funds, mobilizing staff, and fostering community spirit. Over time, these contributions have exceeded UGX 3 billion .
Most recently, the bank donated UGX 500 million toward the 2025 Rotary Cancer Run, specifically earmarked for the construction of two specialized treatment bunkers meant to house Linear Accelerator (LINAC) machines at the Rotary–Centenary Bank Cancer Centre .
This year’s contribution, coupled with other rounds of funding, brings Centenary Bank’s annual investment in cancer care to over UGX 600 million—making it one of the most significant single-year contributions to the project to date .
The primary use of this sum is the construction of two underground bunkers—vital for housing LINAC machines that deliver advanced radiotherapy.
These machines represent a leap in treatment capacity for Ugandans battling cancer.
The bunkers alone are budgeted at an estimated UGX 4 billion, underscoring the hefty scale of the investment .
Beyond brick and mortar, timing is everything. In 2015, Centenary and Rotary helped build the initial 36‑bed oncology ward—known as the Rotary–Centenary Bank Cancer Centre—at a cost of UGX 1.5 billion .
Now, the bank’s renewed push ensures that cutting-edge radiotherapy capabilities can finally reach capacity, at Nsambya and soon beyond.
At the launch of the 2025 Cancer Run in Rukungiri district, Ms Anita Arigye Personal Banker at Rukungiri Centenary Bank branch who also represented the Managing Director Dr. Fabian Kasi described the bank as a “people’s bank”—not just in name, but in mission. That mission, he affirmed, includes active participation in efforts that “positively impact Uganda’s health system” .
“We have contributed over UGX 3 billion to this cause… we believe in the power of collective action to transform lives” She added.
Uganda reports an alarming 33,000 new cancer cases each year, yet only a fraction—around 7,400—receive early-stage treatment at the Uganda Cancer Institute . The gap is troubling.
The Rotary Cancer Run plays a crucial role in narrowing it. Over the years, the initiative has raised significant funds—UGX 3.5 billion in 2025 alone—aimed at completing treatment infrastructure like the LINAC bunkers .
But Centenary’s sizable contribution accelerates the process, ensuring that when the run ends, the momentum carries forward into tangible outcomes.
For cancer patients and their families, Centenary’s donation offers more than access—it represents dignity.
Consider the story of Everson Bwengye Kachumitana, a cancer survivor whose journey during the 2025 Cancer Run became a rallying cry—a human face to the statistics . For thousands like her, the promise of effective radiotherapy within Uganda’s borders means saving not just lives but futures.
About Nsambya cancer Institute.
Nsambya’s cancer center was inaugurated in 2015, but capacity has been limited. The bunkers under construction provide the infrastructure needed for LINAC treatment. Success here paves the way for expansion to more regions and more patients .
Centenary’s consistent investment now reaching over UGX 600 million this year thus marks a new chapter in combating Uganda’s cancer burden.
It’s a commitment that transforms institutions into beacons of care and impact.
Centenary Bank, once a rural credit institution turned today’s microfinance titan and has shown that banking can be about more than balance sheets and it can be about building lives.
This bold step towards constructing a cancer institute is not just about money but it’s about message that health, equity, and community are investments worth more than any profit margin
