The Ministry of Health has announced a forthcoming massive surgical camp set to be hosted at Mbarara Referral Hospital and other district facilities within the Ankole region. The camp, which will run from the 22nd to the 28th of this month, is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health, the Association of Surgeons of Uganda, and local parliamentarians.
Dr. Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, urged patients in need of surgical procedures to seize this rare opportunity and take advantage of the free services being offered. She emphasized that this initiative has been made possible through collaboration with the Association of Surgeons of Uganda, an umbrella body for surgeons, with support from local parliamentarians.
Although the camp will be held in every district within the Ankole region, Prof. Dan Kisitu, a Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH), stated that this facility will be reserved for complex procedures.
“This surgical camp brings together skilled health workers from various disciplines, providing a unique experience for patients within and beyond the Ankole region,” said Halson Kagure, the Public Relations Officer at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital.
Kagure added that arrangements have been made to differentiate between patients with complex cases and those needing minor surgeries. Since last week, hospital clinicians have assessed hundreds of patients and recommended them for operations. Services to be offered include brain and spine surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, hernia repairs, eye surgery, and general surgery, among others.
Yesterday, the hospital held its final planning meeting, where it was reported that all teams, including those from radiology and imaging, laboratory services, and biomedical departments, were briefed and prepared for the camp.
The hospital’s Public Relations Officer further clarified that the ambulance team will be on standby to evacuate patients in need of specialized services from lower-level health facilities.
The camp is set to last for four days, and each day, according to Prof. Kisitu, the team is prepared to conduct over 50 surgical operations at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital.
Mbarara Referral Hospital is one of the few facilities that performs top-notch operations, and with the upcoming Ankole Free Surgical Camp, it will provide relief to patients who have been struggling to meet the high costs associated with surgical procedures.
