Centenary Bank pledges sh25m for ASOU surgical camp
The sh25m contribution will support the purchase of medicines and medical supplies, facilitate transportation, accommodation and meals for volunteer medical teams, strengthen patient mobilisation and public awareness, and finance other activities during the outreach.
Centenary Bank Managing Director, Godfrey Byekwaso (third left), together with other bank officials, present a symbolic cheque worth sh25m to the Association of Surgeons of Uganda during a fundraising dinner for the 2026 surgical camp at Hotel Africana on July 31, 2026. (Courtesy Photo)
KAMPALA - Centenary Bank has committed sh25m towards the 2026 Association of Surgeons of Uganda (ASOU) surgical camp, reinforcing its corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy of investing in health programmes that improve access to essential medical services.
The pledge was announced by the bank’s Managing Director, Godfrey Byekwaso, during ASOU’s fundraising dinner held at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Friday.
Byekwaso said the contribution reflects the bank’s belief that financial institutions have a broader responsibility beyond providing banking services.
“We believe that banking goes beyond providing financial services to transforming lives, strengthening communities and creating opportunities for those who need them most,” he said.
Bank strengthens health investment through CSR
Health, he noted, remains the bank’s flagship CSR pillar because healthy communities are essential for economic growth.
“A healthy population can learn, work, run businesses and support families. When people cannot access medical care, the consequences affect families, communities and the economy,” Byekwaso said.
He added that Centenary Bank currently serves more than sh3.4m customers through 81 branches, 214 automated teller machines (ATMs) and over 9,000 banking agents nationwide.
The bank’s total assets exceeded sh8.6 trillion by the end of 2025, but the institution views this growth as a responsibility to create greater impact in the communities it serves.
UGX 25m pledge to support nationwide surgical outreach
The sh25m contribution will support the purchase of medicines and medical supplies, facilitate transportation, accommodation and meals for volunteer medical teams, strengthen patient mobilisation and public awareness, and finance other activities during the outreach.
Byekwaso said the bank has consistently invested in healthcare initiatives, including contributing more than sh3b to the Rotary-Centenary Bank Cancer Centre at Nsambya Hospital and supporting infrastructure projects at Nkozi Hospital and Kisubi Hospital.
The bank has also donated medical equipment and organised medical camps and blood donation drives across the country.
ASOU President Dr. Edward Kakungulu said this year’s surgical camp, scheduled for September 12 to 19, will bring together more than 600 volunteer medical professionals to provide free specialised surgical services in 10 districts across the Buganda sub-region.
He said the programme targets 10,000 surgical consultations, at least 3,000 major and minor surgeries, 7,500 ultrasound and imaging services, more than 25,000 laboratory tests, health screening for over 6,000 schoolchildren and more than 5,000 breast, cervical and prostate cancer screenings.
Kakungulu called on corporate organisations, government institutions and development partners to support the initiative, saying stronger partnerships are essential to expanding access to surgical care for underserved communities.