Museveni hails Rotary over plan to offer  free heart surgery to Ugandan children

President Yoweri Museveni has commended the president of Rotary International  Shekhar Mehta for his offer to open up an eye hospital in Uganda and to provide free heart surgery to 100 Ugandan children in India.

“I am very happy to welcome you and your delegation to Uganda. I thank you for your offers of opening up an eye clinic in Uganda and for 100 children to go to India for heart surgery and long distance learning for school children in Uganda,” he said.

The President was on Tuesday welcoming the Rotary International president who was accompanied by his wife Rashi Mehta  at State House Nakasero.

Mehta who paid a courtesy call on Museveni was also accompanied by a delegation of Rotarians who included among others the out-going Governor of district 9213 of Uganda  John Magezi Ndamira and the incoming Governor Mike Kennedy Sebalu.

Others included Rotarians from Tanzania, Kenya and Nigeria.

The president applauded the Rotary International executive for the offer but urged them to also consider opening up a blood bank and dialysis centre.

Mehta, whose headquarters is based in Chicago USA but  has  also held a series of positions internationally extended greetings from President Modi of India and all Rotarians worldwide to Museveni.

He informed the president of the activities of Rotary International that include  providing education, water, sanitation, literacy and skills development to the needy among others.

He said that they are engaged in providing school going children who have been affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic with education in form of long distance learning,

“Children should get the best of technology for learning,” he noted.

. Mehta had earlier visited parliament where a motion was passed in recognition of his organization’s humanitarian services to the needy communities in the world.

He was accompanied by the Minister of Gender Labour and Social Development Betty Amongi.