Over 1000 people from within and outside Mbarara city have received free treatment from the Uganda People's Defence Forces-UPDF medical team as part of the activities commemorating the 42nd Tarehe Sita Week.
The UPDF medical team conducted free medical outreach programs that involved the provision of free surgical, dental, and eye care services, and general treatments to civilians at Mbarara City Health Center IV, Kakoba, Nyamitanga, Nyakayonjo, and Biharwe Health Center III.
According to Col. Justus Rukundo the Coordinator of the Civil-Military Cooperation for Mbarara City, the medical team handled over 1059 medical cases in the outpatient department, 22 surgeries, 10 dental cases, and distributed 22 eyeglasses on top of providing other optical treatments.
He says that the team also conducted over 500 laboratory tests including HIV testing and counseling.
Gen Dr. Ambrose Musinguzi, the head of Medical services in the UPDF, says the medical service team has learned a lot during the medical outreaches and a report will be made to find solutions to the loopholes they observed.
He also revealed that they had made referrals for patients in need of surgery that they couldn't handle. He says the medical team also donated equipment such as delivery beds, waste, and Biodiversity bins, 100 liters of Sanitizer, and gloves among others to the health centers around the city.
Dr. Alfred Mugarura, the In-charge of Mbarara City Health Center IV, says the intervention of the medical camp has been a relief to them. He says that UPDF also fumigated schools not only in the city but also in other districts making the greater Mbarara region.
Francis Basiime, the LC I Chairperson of Kiswahili cell appreciated the UPDF for the general cleaning exercise in areas that were once known as dirty zones like the Malaria channels.