KALANGALA | HEALTH | CENTRES 

KALANGALA - Kalangala health centres have received medical equipment worth sh250m donated to them by Oil Palm Uganda Limited (OPUL).

Damanik Saridin, the General Manager for OPUL based in Kalangala District led a team of his management staff to donate medical supplies and theatre equipment to Kalangala health centre III, Bheta health centre III in Mugoye Sub-county and Bwendero health centre III in Bujumba sub-county.

Handing over the items to the District Health Officer (DHO), a satisfied Damanik revealed their wish to serve the interest of islanders who were suffering due to lack of inadequate health care facilities had come to pass.

"We carried out a needs assessment from the 84 islands of Kalangala and discovered that they were all referring their patients to these three health centres. 

As such, there was a dire need to support them medically since the island community could not easily commute to the mainland for medication", Damanik revealed before appealing to the recipients of the equipment and supplies to make good use of the donated items.

Damanik further revealed that their company attends to people-centred initiatives because a health community supports their continued existence in the business.

He also noted that besides this particular maiden health donation, they have equipped Bheta Primary School, Buswa Primary School and Bwendero Primary School with new buildings, computers, and desks among others.

"For we are with the community at all times and we shall continue doing so as and when deemed necessary with the resource envelope allowing,” Damanik disclosed.

On his part, an overwhelmed Dr. Michael Suuna also Kalangala District Health Officer commended OPUL for the timely donation and appealed to them to support their current plan of working on all the necessary health requirements that will see Kalangala Health Center IV being elevated to hospital status.

"As the DHO and on behalf of the entire district leadership, we are really humbled. The donation will see a reduction in the infant mortality rate in the area," Suuna alluded.

He also revealed that the equipment received by health centre III's will solve the puzzle of islanders going to either Entebbe or Masaka hospitals for basic medication.

As the donations were going on, a health camp was also taking place where Buganda Kingdom Premier Owek Charles Peter Mayiga featured prominently and applauded OPUL for giving back to their community whenever called upon.

Oil Palm Uganda Limited (OPUL) is a subsidiary of Bidco Uganda Limited, Josovina of Singapore, Wilmar International, Government of the Republic of Uganda and Kalangala Outgrowers Trust (KOPGT).

The partnership has since developed over 6000 hectares of Oil Palm Nucleus Plantation in Kalangala Bugala Island and over 4000 hectares of out-growers with two palm oil mills each of 60TPH.

The partnership is also in expansion to Buvuma, Masaka, Sango Bay/Kyotera in line with the agreement between them and the Government of the Republic of Uganda.