Kampala, Uganda | THE BLACK EXAMINER | Dr. Rosemary Byanyima, Acting Director of Mulago National Referral Hospital, has announced an upcoming nationwide initiative aimed at showcasing their surgical services. This event, known as the “Surgical Week,” is scheduled to run from October 2 to October 6, with the primary objective of giving back to the community in commemoration of Uganda’s 61st Independence Anniversary.

During this period, the hospital will provide health education, conduct surgical operation screenings, and have specialists examine patients, with surgical services offered free of charge. The Surgical Week will encompass more than 10 specialized services, including Neurosurgery, Orthopedic surgery, Pediatrics, Gastrointestinal surgery, Urology, Endocrine surgery, and Anesthesia, among others.

Dr. Byanyima made this announcement while addressing journalists at Mulago National Specialized Hospital in Kampala. Being the largest and oldest referral hospital in the country, she emphasized that this initiative aims to reduce the patient backlog and showcase state-of-the-art, super-specialized surgical services available within Uganda. Many Ugandans currently seek these services abroad, which can be obtained domestically.

“The Directorate of Surgical Services at Mulago is the largest, and we want to display all these services to the public. Over 80 surgeons will be available to serve the general community,” she affirmed.

Dr. Orwotho Norbert, the head of the Directorate of Surgical Services at Mulago Hospital, highlighted that another objective of this program is to raise awareness among the public about the range of surgical services available at Mulago.

Activities during the five-day event will run from 8 am to 4 pm and will be open to the public at no cost, except for certain specialized areas with specific requirements.

Dr. Phyllis Kisa, a pediatric surgeon and urologist at Mulago Hospital, confirmed that their team would offer sensitization, examinations, screenings, and showcase their work, including the management of complex cancers.

Dr. Alexandra Bainjirana, a senior consultant and orthopedic surgeon, noted that since they mainly deal with trauma and road accidents have been on the rise in the country, they have mobilized orthopedic surgeons from across Uganda to participate in this public service initiative.

Dr. Kasadhakawo Moses, the head of the Ophthalmology department at Mulago Hospital, mentioned their focus on raising awareness about universal access to eye health services, as a significant portion of the population unknowingly lives with blindness. They also plan to engage with policymakers to include eye care medications on the essential drug list, as they are currently not covered.

Recent studies within Uganda have indicated that 0.5% of the population is blind, with common causes including retinal conditions, cancers, cataracts, glaucoma, and others.

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