LIONS Club International is to construct a hospital in Uganda for free treatment for eye complications, its former president has said.
Dr. Ashok Mehta arrived in the country yesterday for the 5th Multiple District Convention.
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to open the convention at Speke Resort Munyonyo, near Kampala on Saturday.
“We are keen to set up an eye unit. Eighty per cent of the treatment will be free. Those who can afford the 20% will pay but we need support from the Government,” said Mehta, who was accompanied by his wife Koklani.
The hospital, estimated to cost sh437m will be set up at Namanve Industrial Park, about 14km on the Kampala-Jinja highway.
The Lions District 411 comprises Ethiopia, Kenya, Seychelles, Tanzania and Uganda.
Other projects, Mehta said, are the construction of a children’s hospital, and a paramedics training school.
He said they would discuss the modalities of government support to the projects with the health ministry.
“The club will also initiate a programme on educating children between 6-18 years, to teach them the art of saying ‘No’ to the bad things of life,” Mehta stated.
He said the Lions Club had in the last five years injected $1m (sh1.6b) in the treatment of cataracts in Uganda.
Mehta added that they would approve a further $400,000 (sh672m) for the treatment of cataracts in Africa during the next convention in Bangkok, Thailand in June.
The International Director, Manoj Shah, said Mehta would tour the club’s projects in Uganda.
Mehta was received at the Entebbe Airport by Shem Semambo, the Lions Club Governor of District 411B.
