Prisons' medical camp brings relief to thousands in South Western Uganda
Nabunya Stella Sendi, the commissioner of prisons in charge of health services in the Uganda Prisons, officiated at the official opening of the medical camp on Thursday, and said the camp was triggered by the increasing health issues among prison staff and called for immediate action to address them.
Stella Nabunya Sendi, the Commissioner of Prisons in charge of health services in the Uganda Prisons, undergoes a medical checkup shortly after opening the Mbarara Prisons Free Medical camp held at Mbarara Police Play Ground in Mbarara City. (Credit: Abdulkarim Ssengendo)
Several turned up for Mbarara Prisons' free medical camp. (Credit: Abdulkarim Ssengendo)
MBARARA - The two-day free medical camp organised in Mbarara City by Uganda Prisons attracted hundreds at Mbarara Police grounds.
Dr. Aidah Ajambo, a public health specialist at Uganda Prisons, and also HIV/PTB programme manager at Uganda Prisons services, explained that the camp offered services including:
Laboratory investigations including HIV, Hepatitis B, blood glucose for diabetes, dental services, eye care services and proper management, including giving glasses, among others.
Stella Nabunya Sendi, the commissioner of prisons in charge of health services in the Uganda Prisons, officiated at the official opening of the medical camp on Thursday, and said the camp was triggered by the increasing health issues among prison staff and called for immediate action to address them.
Nabunya said the first medical camp was held at the prison’s headquarters two months ago, and they are now moving to other regions.
“We have seen that the staff have some health challenges, but they are not aware, and by the time they come to know, either they have collapsed and died or the sickness has reached the final stages, which are not manageable, and these are things we want to avoid,” Nabunya stated. 
“We also thought it wise that we shouldn’t only concentrate on the staff but people from neighbouring communities, that's why we have people from the barracks and community," she said.
Nabunya thanked patients for turning up in big numbers to know their life status.
Nabunya also hailed all partners and called up people in the area, all the staff, to make good use of the medical camp and know the status of their health.
Cases that wouldn’t be managed at the medical camp, she said, will be referred to hospitals like Mulago National Referral Hospital.
She used the platform to encourage ladies and men to always go for cancer screening, especially prostate and cervical cancers, which are claiming millions of lives in Uganda.