(L-R) Kilembe Mines Hospital representatives, Baritazale Kule, Commissioner Secondary Education Standards in the Ministry of Education and Sports and John Makombo, Director of Conservation at the Uganda Wildlife Authority receive a dummy cheque from Absa Bank Uganda’s acting Head of Retail Banking, Annette Kiconco, and Emma Mugabi, Citizenship Officer.
Absa Bank Uganda has made a donation worth UGX30 million towards the purchase of essential medical equipment and supplies for Kilembe Mines Hospital, a private not for profit health facility whose infrastructure was damaged and swept away by recent heavy flooding.
The donation is in response to extreme flooding caused bythe River Nyamwamba bursting its banks earlier this month, which resulted in the displacement of over 120,000 people and the destruction of several homes, farms, schools, and critical infrastructure.
“We are beyond saddened by the sheer destruction this disaster has caused to the people of Kasese District. We, therefore, stand in solidarity with the hospital administration and community to jumpstart the rehabilitation process with this provision of much-needed relief to the Kilembe Mines Hospital,” Annette Kiconco, Acting Retail Director at Absa Bank Uganda said.
The donation covers essential hospital equipment and medical supplies which include stretchers, wheelchairs, biomedical fridge, oxygen concentrator, patient monitors, beds and mattresses.
“This is the third time that the hospital is facing a disaster of a similar scale and we appreciate the support we have received from Absa Bank Uganda, as we need all hands on deck to begin rebuilding,” said Mr. John Makombo, the Leader of the Kampala-Kasese Catholic Community and Director in charge of Conservation at Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Kilembe Mines Hospital has a 200-bed capacity and is located in Namuhunga village in Kasese District. At the time of the flooding, 87 patients were evacuated to nearby health facilities as the hospital’s medical stores and mortuary were completely washed away.
Additionally, several wards and other physical infrastructure were seriously damaged while critical equipment like oxygen concentrators, patient monitors, sanction machines, computers, blood pressure machines, autoclaves, incubators and laboratory equipment were all destroyed.
“With the threat of water-borne diseases looming, the community needs critical support for its health infrastructure to be able to handle these and other medical emergencies that may arise,” Kiconco added.
