UCI says Uganda's only radiotherapy cancer machine Cobalt 60 which was installed early this year is experiencing a "minor technical glitch".

In a statement issued on Thursday, the institute's director maintains that the "computer system that operates the machine is currently showing an error".

"This requires the machine to be stopped to have the problem rectified. The management has already contacted the manufacturer and an engineer will be flying in the country to rectify the error," Dr. Jackson Oryem adds.

Cancers patients will have to wait for at least a week to resume receiving radiotherapy treatment, according to Oryem.

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And the affected patients?

The over UGX2.9bn radiotherapy machine handles over 150 patients per day. About 50 patients are waiting for radiotherapy treatment.

The institute's director says patients on the waiting list will be handled in one day once the machine resumes normal operations.

"We are doing all necessary steps to ensure we resume these services back to normal," the director said.

New machines

Two new cancer treatment machines are expected in the country in about four months time, according to the statement.

They will provide additional support to the current Cobalt 60 machine to "avoid treatment disruptions".