The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has delivered free medical services to more than 10,000 people across Kabale, Rukiga, and Rubanda Districts as the 45th Tarehe Sita anniversary celebrations intensify in the Kigezi sub-region.
Six days into the outreach, mobile, static, and surgical medical teams report overwhelming turnout, with residents seeking care often unavailable in local health facilities.
Brig Gen Dr Patrick Ocen, overseeing the operations, said this year’s outreach focuses on providing life-changing interventions rather than simply dispensing medication.
“We want to move away from giving drugs only. If someone with a long-standing hernia is operated on or a mother with obstructed labour is assisted in time, the results are immediate. That is the level of service we aim to provide,” he said.
Brig Gen Ocen noted that Kigezi communities typically seek care when genuinely ill, an approach he described as medically sound.
He warned against indiscriminate drug collection, especially antibiotics, citing risks of antimicrobial resistance, and highlighted eye and dental care as key areas requiring investment.
In Kabale, Lt Col Dr Lopez Mukuye said operations began on December 1, with three teams deployed across the district, including a static surgical camp, a static medical camp, and a mobile unit.
“Kabale carries the history of the revolutionary struggle, and during this 45th anniversary, we are giving back to the people,” he said.
The static teams at Rubaya Health Centre IV have handled both surgical and medical cases, while the mobile team covered Kakomo and Maziba Health Centre IV in the first three days.
Over 3,000 patients have received treatment, including surgeries for hernias, hydroceles, keloids, and lipomas.
Respiratory and urinary tract infections remain among the most common medical conditions. Teams will continue operations through Saturday, December 13.
In Rukiga District, Brig Gen Michael Kibuye, Director of Civil Military Cooperation, commended the professionalism of UPDF medical officers during a visit to Mparo Health Centre IV, noting that the high turnout reflected the community’s limited access to affordable healthcare.
Lt Col Dr Godfrey Ngobya, leading the Rukiga team, reported that more than 4,000 patients had been treated, primarily for non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and peptic ulcers.
The outreach has expanded services to include cancer screening, dental care, and eye services, with patients receiving lenses for cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, presbyopia, allergic conjunctivitis, and dry eye syndrome.
Dr Edgar Mudogo of Mparo Health Centre IV said the daily patient load had tripled since the program began. Residents, including Mugisha Joram, expressed gratitude for the free medication, noting that pharmacy treatments had previously been costly and ineffective.
In Rubanda District, large numbers of residents gathered at Hamurwa Health Centre IV, where Maj Dr Simon Okongo reported that most patients were women and children seeking general surgery, dermatology, orthopaedic services, and HIV counselling.
Mobile teams were dispatched to Bufundi, Ibumbi, and Bwindi Health Centre IIIs to extend outreach.
During her visit, Col Christine Nekesa, Head of Women Affairs in the Air Force, encouraged communities to maintain proper hygiene, support stable homes, and warned that domestic violence undermines children’s education and future prospects.
The ongoing UPDF outreach demonstrates a commitment to improving healthcare access in Kigezi while marking the Tarehe Sita anniversary with tangible, community-centered interventions.