HEALTH | CAMP | VISION GROUP 

ISINGIRO - Thousands of residents turned up when a team of medics pitched camp at Kabuyanda Market Grounds in Kabuyanda Town Council in Isingiro district to attend to people with various ailments on April 16.  

The health camp organised by Vision Group in partnership with Reproductive Health Uganda, Isingiro District Local Government and Kabuyanda Health centre IV, attracted people from different sub-counties of Isingiro.  

Alex Mugarura, the Vision Group’s marketing manager Mbarara bureau, said the camp was part of Vision Group’s effort to give back to the community. 

The camp, which was dominated by women, was flagged off by entertainment and messages of hope from Vision Group presenters, including Radio West presenter Ivan Murungi and TV West's Muhereza Valentine Kachaina. 

People lining up to get treatment at a health camp organized by Vision Group in isingiro district. (All Photos Abdulkarim Ssengendo)

Mugarura said similar camps will be extended to many areas in the region and would offer free medical services to hundreds of community members in an effort to improve their wellbeing and empower them with basic health information. 

Dr Collins Aturinda, the in-charge of Kabuyanda Health centre IV, hailed Vision Group for the effort to improve the health situation in the area noting that the area had been facing a lot of challenges that the health centre couldn’t manage on its own. 

Dr Nathan Gonzaga, the in-charge Reproductive Health Uganda, Mbarara branch, said they offered Family planning services, HIV screening and testing, cervical cancer screening and breast cancer examination. 

He added that they identified several mothers who are positive cases of cervical cancer in the early stage. They also identified many men with enlarged prostates. 

He encouraged Isingiro community members to always go for screening and warned women to avoid many predisposing factors of cervical cancers, including early sex, multiple sexual partners, smoking and overconsumption of alcohol.  

Some of the beneficiaries of the free health camp expressed appreciation to Vision Group. The health experts also called upon men in the district to go for testing.  

This followed the observation that few men turned up for testing for HIV at the camp. 

They also warned teenage girls to avoid engaging in sex, saying there are many risks during pregnancy and delivery and some end up getting diseases like fistula.