The Archbishop of Kampala, Paul Ssemwogerere, has praised Kabaka Ronald Mutebi’s initiative to provide healthcare services to his people through the “Tubeere Balamu” (Let’s Live) community outreach program.
Speaking at St. Joseph Parish in Kyengera during a visit for the outreach, the Archbishop emphasized the critical need for accessible healthcare for all Ugandans.
“I appreciate the platform that the Kabaka has established to help his people access health service delivery. Good health is very important. Due to my work, age and responsibility, I have seen the need for health services in the country, as so many people need free access to medical services across the country,” Ssemwogerere said.
The Archbishop acknowledged the state’s responsibility to provide free healthcare but commended the Kabaka for taking the initiative to address the immediate needs of his people.
He urged Parliament and the Cabinet to prioritize universal healthcare and ensure adequate health facilities nationwide.
“The reason churches and mosques are full of people seeking divine healing is because they don’t have money to go to hospitals, even for simple ailments. While this is not bad, there should be either free or affordable health services for the people across the entire country,” the Archbishop observed.
He called for increased budget allocation to the Ministry of Health, emphasizing that the state has a responsibility to keep its people healthy. He also appealed to private healthcare providers to lower costs and refrain from selling expired medicines or employing unqualified staff.
The campaign, mainly sponsored by Diamond Trust Bank, at the St. Joseph’s parish in Kyengera, saw thousands of people throng the venue to receive various treatments.
Robert Waggwa Nsibirwa, the Second Deputy Katikkiro of Buganda, representing the Kabaka, expressed gratitude for the support received for the “Tubeere Balamu” outreach, which began in Buddu, Masaka, last November. He encouraged people to follow medical advice and maintain hygiene.
“As you remember, this outreach started in November last year, in Buddu Masaka. We believe many people benefited from it, and we thank all the medics who provide these services during these camps. We appreciate all the support from across all platforms in our efforts to improve the health of our people. We advise our people to adhere to the instructions of the medics and to be clean,” he said.
Edward Kaggwa Ndagala, head of the Kabaka Foundation, explained that the foundation, established in 1996, serves as the Kabaka’s vehicle for service delivery in various areas, including health, education, and community development. He highlighted past successful health campaigns, such as the Hepatitis B immunization drive and the blood donation drive, which significantly increased blood donations in the country. He said the current “Tubeere Balamu” campaign aims to recruit 300,000 new blood donors.
“We launched a blood donation drive in support with the Red Cross and the Uganda Blood Bank. At the start of the campaign, they had about 20,000 regular blood donners but after the campaign, the numbers climbers to 170,000. The current Tubeere balamu campaign for this year, we are targeting 300,000 new blood donners to alleviate blood scarcity in Uganda,” he noted.
Samuel Matekha, Head of Marketing and Communications at Diamond Trust Bank (DTB), emphasized the bank’s commitment to supporting the Kabaka’s health initiatives.
“As a bank, we are here to offer service to the people. We know that it is only healthy people who can work, and as a result, can use the bank’s services,” he said, urging people to seek professional medical care and to work hard and utilize banking services.
