Hope and healing returned to Eastern Uganda as the Ruparelia Foundation officially launched a massive free eye care camp in Bukedea District, targeting at least 5,000 beneficiaries in a three-day medical outreach.
Held at Bukedea Teaching Hospital, the camp has drawn hundreds of residents from across the Teso sub-region and beyond, all seeking specialised eye treatment that is often out of reach due to cost and limited access to healthcare facilities.
The initiative, organised in partnership with Mulago National Referral Hospital and healthcare provider C-Care, is offering a wide range of services including eye screening, cataract surgeries, and free distribution of corrective glasses for both adults and children.
Medical experts at the camp say the outreach is critical in tackling Uganda’s growing burden of preventable blindness, particularly in rural communities where many patients live with untreated conditions such as cataracts and refractive errors.
“For many people here, this is the only opportunity to access specialised eye care,” one of the health workers noted, highlighting the financial barriers that often prevent patients from seeking treatment in major hospitals.
Organisers estimate that hundreds of patients will undergo life-changing surgical procedures during the camp, while thousands more will receive diagnosis and medication, interventions that could significantly improve their quality of life.
Beyond the medical impact, the camp carries deep emotional significance. It is being held in memory of the late Rajiv Ruparelia, whose legacy of philanthropy continues to inspire community-focused initiatives across Uganda.
Government leaders have also thrown their weight behind the programme, underscoring its role in complementing public health efforts and bringing services closer to underserved populations.
Health officials say initiatives like the Bukedea eye camp are essential in bridging healthcare gaps, especially in regions where specialised services remain scarce and unaffordable.
For many beneficiaries, however, the impact goes beyond treatment. It is the chance to see again. To work again. To live with dignity.
And for a community long underserved, that transformation is nothing short of life-changing.
