Maize cob colonized by Aspergillus species of aflatoxin. (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture).

A medical expert in Uganda’s Masindi district has warned against consumption of maize products containing aflatoxin chemicals, which are reportedly linked to a surge in cancer cases in parts of the country.

Medical specialist Dr. Musiisi Ronald told Daily Monitor, Uganda’s biggest newspaper that Masindi district has recorded rising cases of liver cancer attributed to aflatoxin consumption.

“The urgency of this situation cannot be overstated, due to its profound impact on public health,” said Dr. Ronald during a Rotary Cancer Run in Masindi town.

The scientist from Uganda’s Aids Support Organization, further said a worrying percentage of people doing HIV/AIDS test were found to be infected with different forms of cancer, which are very expensive to treat.

“10% of people undergoing HIV test were found to be simultaneously grappling with cancer-related illnesses, painting a grim picture of the dual health challenges faced by the population,” he told Monitor.

Aflatoxins are toxic metabolites that are produced by certain types of fungi and can infect agricultural commodities and make food inedible.

The dangerous chemical is often triggered by poor storage or adverse weather conditions.

In June 2023, South Sudan Bureau of Standards resolved to destroy impounded food items that it allegedly found to have contained high aflatoxin levels after conducting several laboratory tests.

SSNBS deemed the 120 tons of food items impounded as unsuitable for human consumption.

The tons of commercial goods were later rumored to have been allowed back to Uganda, but the Secretary-General of South Sudan Clearance Agents Association in Nimule town denied the reports.

In February 2023, Ugandan food scientists found that maize, sorghum, and groundnuts produced locally pose a cancer risk.

The research by scientists at the National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) indicates that Ugandan grain contains 10 times or higher concentrations of aflatoxin than the safety threshold recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Kenya has also imposed a ban on maize imports from Uganda over the same issue.