By Norah Owaraga | Managing Director
If we won the lottery, we would delight in fulfilling our vision of building healthy communities in Uganda through contributing towards curative health care services; as well as preventative health care services through our Gulu Medical Centre.
Yes, we are excited that as at the end of December 2024, the permanent perimeter wall for our medical centre in establishment was near completed. And that the buildings are now ready to be fitted with the necessary furniture and equipment for a healthcare facility.
Among the neglected medical services in Uganda is provision of eye care services. “In Uganda, for example, there is only one ophthalmologist for every one million people—far less than the recommended minimum ratio. The country needs about 96 more ophthalmologists. As a result, communities often have limited access to effective treatment for more serious eye diseases.” This is according to Christian Blind Mission (cbm).
In fact, according to the Uganda Ministry of Health, for example, nearly 60 percent of blindness cases are due to cataracts, a condition that can be treated. This status quo is likely partly because of adequate availability of ophthalmologists in our country.
From our observations in our geographic area of operation, greater northern Uganda, moreover, the ratio of ophthalmologist to population is likely much higher than one to one million. The few ophthalmologists in Uganda are likely mostly located down south in the proximity of the Capital City, Kampala.
We are making it our mission to regularly bring an ophthalmologist to conduct medical camps that will provide eye care services that we will prioritize to regularly organize and hold at our Gulu Medical Centre.
To our donors who have already made a contribution in support of poor rural communities in Uganda leading a better quality of life that is unimpeded by visual impairment, we thank you.
We ask for your help to spread the word and to invite others within your networks to please consider making a donation to enable us to contribute towards preventing preventable blindness in Uganda. THANK YOU!
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