Health Minister, Dr. Jane Ruth Acheng also the Lira City Woman Mp has on tuesday officially launched the Women and Children’s Health Camp, a specialized health services initiative aimed at addressing the health needs of women and children in Lango.
The camp which was developed last year, following the success of a similar camp run by the Association of Surgeons of Uganda, which operated on over 1,400 patients.
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The Women and Children’s Health Camp has already seen an overwhelming response as hundreds converge at former Akii Bua Stadium to receive free health Services.
According to the Minister, the camp offers a range of specialized health services, including cancer screening, mammography, HIV testing, and surgical services. The Minister expressed her gratitude to the Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Uganda, the Uganda Cancer Institute, and other partners for their support.
She also noted that the camp aims to address the backlog of health services needed in the region, particularly for women and children. The Minister emphasized the importance of healthy communities, saying, “A healthy community is a productive community.”
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The launch of the camp coincides with the commemoration of Postpartum Haemorrhage Awareness month that Minister Acheng acknowledges that it is a critical health issue that is a leading cause of death for women during childbirth. The Minister highlighted the need for awareness and education on this issue, particularly during the antenatal period.
Dr. Andrew Odur, a Gynaecologist at Lira Regional Referral Hospital, attributed the high turnout to the longstanding difficulties faced by these individuals, who could not access to healthcare for extended periods due many factors including poverty.
“Approximately 15% of Ugandan families struggle to access essential health services, often having to sacrifice their assets to receive medical attention,” Dr.Odur notes.
Lira City Resident Commissioner Lawrence Egole warned against spreading false propaganda about the camp, stressing that such misinformation negatively affects service delivery.
He criticized those spreading false claims about the camp, emphasizing that it aims to help hundreds of people regardless of political, religious, or cultural affiliations.
The camp, organized by the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Uganda, runs for five days and aims to serve at least 2,000 patients with free mental health services, surgeries, infertility treatments, and breast cancer screenings.
