Bukedea District is set to host a major medical outreach this weekend with more than 300 free cataract surgeries scheduled during the Rajiv Ruparelia Eye Camp from March 27 to 29 at Bukedea Teaching Hospital.
The outreach, organised by the Ruparelia Foundation, is expected to screen over 2,000 residents, provide more than 800 reading glasses, and offer free specialised eye care services to communities that often struggle to access treatment.
The camp follows its official launch held on March 10 at Kabira Country Club, where members of the Ruparelia family and government leaders outlined the vision and impact of the initiative.
The programme is being conducted in memory of the late Rajiv Ruparelia, whose passion for philanthropy continues to inspire efforts aimed at improving lives across Uganda.
Speaking during the launch on March 10, Sudhir Ruparelia said the eye camp will grow into a nationwide initiative conducted every two years, rotating across different regions to ensure wider access to specialised eye care services.
“We want this to become a national programme that reaches different parts of the country so that more Ugandans can benefit from specialised eye care,” he said.
He revealed that after Bukedea, the next edition of the camp will be held in Kasese District.
At the same event, Jyotsna Ruparelia said the family chose to honour Rajiv by continuing the values he believed in.
“This eye camp is very special to us because it is being carried out in the name of our son Rajiv. He believed deeply in giving back and had an instinct to help people and communities,” she said.
She noted that restoring sight can have a profound impact on individuals and families, enabling people to return to work, education, and independent living.
Medical specialists involved in the outreach say cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness in Uganda, yet many patients fail to access treatment due to high costs.
“Many patients cannot afford surgery, which can cost millions of shillings in private facilities. This camp allows us to bring services directly to the people and operate on them free of charge,” one of the specialists explained.
The team also plans to operate on at least 50 children, warning that delayed treatment in young patients can lead to permanent vision loss.
The initiative has been welcomed by Anita Among, who commended the Ruparelia family for supporting healthcare delivery closer to communities.
“As government it is our responsibility to offer health services everywhere, but initiatives like this help bring services closer to the people. We appreciate you for supporting humanity and for the immense contribution you have made to Uganda,” she said during the launch.
She also pledged a Shs50 million contribution to support the outreach.
The Bukedea camp is among the series of planned nationwide outreaches aimed at tackling preventable blindness while sustaining Rajiv Ruparelia’s humanitarian legacy.
