More than 3,500 to benefit from annual surgical camp in Greater Buganda

Association of Surgeons of Uganda receives support for the surgical camp. PHOTO/PHILIP WAFULA

More than 3,500 people are expected to benefit from this year's annual surgical camp that will be conducted across the Greater Buganda region next month, offering thousands of patients free access to life-changing surgical services.

Organised by the Association of Surgeons of Uganda (ASOU), the camp will provide free general, advanced, specialised, preventive and curative surgical services to people who would otherwise struggle to access specialised healthcare.

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The surgeries will include hernia repairs, hydrocelectomies, hemorrhoidectomies, anal surgeries, excision of cysts, lymphomas and other masses, among other procedures.

Dr Christine Namugenyi, the president-elect of ASOU and chairperson of the scientific committee, said the annual outreach has transformed lives over the past 27 years by bringing surgical care closer to underserved communities.

"This year, with a target of treating over 3,500 people, there is hope that livelihoods will be changed in the districts across the Greater Buganda region, including Luwero, Nakaseke, Nakasongola and Kiboga," Dr Namugenyi said in an interview on Tuesday.

She explained that Greater Buganda was selected to host this year's camp after previous editions were held in Lango in 2023, Ankole in 2024 and West Nile in 2025.

Preparations for the outreach have received a boost from East African Medical Vitals (EAMV), which donated 30,000 pairs of surgical gloves worth Shs18 million to support the exercise. The contribution marks a significant increase from last year's donation of 2,800 pairs of sterile surgical gloves.

EAMV Managing Director Brian Kavuya said the company's partnership with Uganda's surgical fraternity is driven by a shared commitment to improving patient safety and expanding access to quality surgical care.

"As Uganda's local manufacturer of surgical gloves, we remain committed to providing healthcare professionals with high-quality products that enable them to save lives safely and confidently," Mr Kavuya said during the ASOU Annual Surgical Camp fundraising dinner in Kampala last week.

ASOU President Dr Edward Kakungulu welcomed the support, saying the donation would equip surgeons with essential protective gear needed to safely carry out the planned procedures.

He noted that continued partnerships with the private sector have enabled the association to sustain the annual surgical camps and extend critical healthcare services to vulnerable communities across the country.

The annual outreach is one of ASOU's flagship programmes aimed at reducing the burden of untreated surgical conditions by taking specialised medical services to underserved regions, while also strengthening local health systems through skills sharing and mentorship of healthcare workers.