Rotary International District 9213 is committed to strengthening public health and eliminating preventable diseases across Uganda, according to District Governor Geoffrey Martin Kitakule.
“Rotary was built on the belief that when caring people unite, they can change the world. And nowhere is that more evident than in our work to reduce suffering, improve health, and ensure that families have the chance to live full and healthy lives,” Kitakule said.
He highlighted Rotary’s landmark achievement in the fight against polio, a campaign that began more than three decades ago and has transformed global health.
“More than three decades ago, we took on a challenge many believed was impossible: to rid the world of a crippling and deadly disease. We committed not only our resources but also our determination. We mobilized communities, partnered with governments, and worked hand in hand with the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Gates Foundation. And because of that commitment, we have reduced polio cases by more than ninety nine percent, protecting billions of children and bringing us closer than ever to a polio free world,”Kitakule said.
He however stressed the need for continued vigilance.
He stressed,“We remain relentless in the final push because we know that as long as polio exists anywhere, it is a threat everywhere.”
Kitakule noted that Rotary’s health vision extends far beyond the eradication of a single disease.
He emphasized the organisation’s enduring health initiatives within communities across Uganda. Rotary Family Health Days continue to bring essential medical care to areas that lack clinics, doctors or basic medicines. The organisation also supports the training of health workers, midwives and community educators, ensuring that every action taken has long lasting impact.
Rotary’s focus on maternal and child health remains strong. With emphasis on early intervention, safe childbirth and access to vaccines, the organisation is investing in healthier futures for mothers and newborns. Kitakule revealed that a recently approved grant worth five hundred thousand dollars under the “Empowering Families” project will bring renewed hope to thousands of Ugandan families.
He reaffirmed Rotary’s solid involvement in the fight against malaria, HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and other preventable disease and noted that education remains at the centre of all these efforts. Kitakule applauded Rotarians for leading countless health education programs, including hygiene and sanitation training for schoolgirls and awareness campaigns on chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
“What truly makes our work unique is not just the scale of our efforts. It is the spirit behind those efforts. Because for every vaccination administered, every health center built or supported, and every life saved, there is the power of volunteers who believe deeply in our motto: Service Above Self,”he said.
Kitakule noted with a bold vision for the future.
He noted,“Rotary will continue to lead, to innovate and to inspire. We will strengthen healthcare infrastructure, expand access to clean water and sanitation, and together we will continue to light the way toward a world free from preventable disease. A world where every child grows up strong, every family thrives and every community has the opportunity to flourish because as we have seen, Rotary Eyamba.”
Rotary District 9213 now moves forward with renewed determination to transform lives and strengthen health systems across Uganda.
