Ugandan Family Physician dies in chaotic hit and run accident in Nakawa as she reports for duty

A sombre mood engulfed the medical fraternity in the country following the tragic death of a renowned Family Physician attached to International Medical Centre (IMC)clinics, Dr Emmeline Bagonza.

Dr Bagonza, a specialist in primary care, preventive medicine and community medicine was heading for duty on Friday evening when the incident happened.

The accident happened around Nakawa traffic lights when the Boda Boda Dr Bagonza was on ran a red light and went through. It was hit by a taxi coming from the opposite direction and she died instantly.

A statement from IMC confirms the death of Dr Bagonza, adding that burial arrangements are underway.

“Emmeline was a valued physician at IMC and her absence will be felt deeply by her peers and patients alike,” a statement from UMC reads in part.

According to different accounts of eyewitnesses, Bagonza allegedly met her death after a commuter taxi failed to respect the red traffic light sign, hitting the bodaboda she was on.

Another witness claims that Dr Bagonza lost her life while trying to jump off the Boda Boda, only to end up stuck between two cars.

“she was on the bodaboda, and when the taxi in front of them sort of lost control, she tried to jump off the boda to save herself, and she fell down and got stuck in between two cars, that taxi that had lost control and another car that the taxi had collided with and her head got stuck under the tyres of the taxi, when she jumped the boda man survived and ran off, it's not a hit and ran car, it was a bodaboda,” Rachel Kai, a witness narrates.