Military hospital at Entebbe receives dental equipment from UPDF MPs

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Dr Ronald Bata Memorial Hospital in Entebbe has officially received a donation of a dental unit machine worth sh45 million from UPDF Members of Parliament.

While the official handover happened on Friday (October 4) at the facility on Nsamizi Hill, the machine had already been delivered and has been operational for three months now.

The hospital, previously called Entebbe Military Hospital before being rebranded, is run by the Special Forces Command (SFC), under the defence ministry.

The UPDF legislators made the donation earlier this year. 

Brig. Gen. Charity Bainababo (right), Col. Christine Nekesa (second right) and Lt. Col. Jennifer Alanyo (third right) cut tape as they opened the dental clinic after their handing over of dental equipment donated by Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) representatives in Parliament to DR. Ronald Bata Memorial Hospital Nsamizi in Entebbe on October 4, 2024. (Credit: PPU/Tony Rujuta)

“This effort started when we had our first caucus meeting chaired by Gen. David Muhoozi. We made contributions from our monthly deductions with an account opened in the Wazalendo SACCO," said Brig Gen. Charity Bainababo, who led the MPs at the handover.

Bainababo represented trade state minister and former Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Wilson Mbadi.

UPDF MPs Dr Victoria Nekesa and Dr Jennifer Alanyo were also present.
"In Bombo, we have delivered and handed over two theatre tables with all its accessories," said Bainababo.

"In the Airforce, we managed to build a dormitory for Air Force Senior Secondary School and we also managed to construct a laboratory in Gulu Barracks to support the troops.

Brig. Gen. Charity Bainababo who was the team leader for the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) representatives in Parliament remarks during the handover of the dental equipment donated by UPDF representatives in Parliament. (Credit: PPU/Tony Rujuta)

“As a [UPDF parlimentary] caucus, we have had an addition to you the forces, and this will serve both the troops and the wananchi [citizens]. There's no way the wananchi would be turned away from accessing such services."

The UPDF legislators thanked the administration of Dr Ronald Bata Memorial Hospital for working hard to serve the patients.

They pledged to continue lobbying for key medical services so that the troops are treated within the barracks.

On her part, Dr Nekesa thanked the SFC leadership for putting up additional infrastructure to support health service delivery. 

Fellow legislator Dr Alanyo said what started as a dream is now a reality, saying the state-of-the-art machine will go a long way in improving the dental health of military personnel and their families. 

For maintenance, she urged the machine's operators to seek technical advice and services from reputable organizations with advanced knowledge.

Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers after the handover of the dental equipment donated by UPDF representatives in Parliament who were represented by Brig. Gen. Charity Bainababo (front row third left), Col. Christine Nekesa (front row left) and Lt. Col. Jennifer Alanyo (Front row third right) to DR. Ronald Bata Memorial Hospital Nsamizi in Entebbe on October 4, 2024. (Credit: PPU/Tony Rujuta)

Col Norbert Kabugo, who represented the Joint Staff Health Services, Maj. Gen. Ambrose Musinguzi, thanked the hospital administration for keeping the facility neat. 

He also extended his appreciation to the UPDF MPs for the latest donation. 

As Joint Staff Health Services, he said they will do their best to support Dr Ronald Bata Memorial Hospital as an active and dependable directorate of health services.

The hospital's director, Capt. Dr. Isaac Tukesiga thanked, the President, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, for his strategy of having such hospitals in formation, thus bringing services closer to the troops. 

He also thanked the leadership of SFC for the constant support rendered to the hospital.
Tukesiga informed the visiting delegation that the dental machine since treated 736 patients — mostly civilians from the surrounding community — in the last three months.

The hospital's name was officially re-branded in memory of the late Dr Ronald Bata, who was the first medical doctor to join the National Resistance Army (NRA) in 1982, during the bush war.