More than 200 patients in Busoga, Uganda, got free surgical operations from Turkish surgeons collaborating with their counterparts at Jinja Hospital.
A health camp organized by Turkish doctors, operating under the banner of “All Friends of Africa,” in collaboration with Jinja Regional Referral Hospital and the Ministry of Health, has brought surgical relief to 200 patients from various districts in the Busoga Sub-Region, each battling different illnesses.
The camp, championed by Jinja Woman Member of Parliament Manjeri Kyebakuttika, garnered more than 1,500 patients with a variety of ailments who turned up for a weeklong medical camp organized by a team of medical specialists from Turkey. The focus was to provide medical assistance to the local population, and it culminated in more than 200 patients receiving free surgical operations performed by Turkish surgeons in partnership with their counterparts at Jinja Hospital.
The Head of the Surgical Department at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, Dr. Joan Babalanda, lauded the Turkish doctors for their significant contribution to the hospital’s mission to ensure that all patients requiring surgery are attended to.
Dr. Afizu Kibuuka, a consultant at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, further noted that the camp not only benefitted local residents but also enhanced the skills of the hospital’s medical staff.
Dr. Babalanda explained that the medical camp played a crucial role in mobilizing patients who were registered for surgical procedures. She emphasized that the surgeries would continue until the end of the year, considering that out of the 1,500 patients who sought help, only 200 received surgical care.
However, Dr. Babalanda also highlighted the hospital’s challenges, which include a shortage of medical equipment and specialized staff such as urologists, plastic surgeons, and ENT specialists.
One of the main concerns was the limited availability of anesthesia machines in the hospital’s theater, despite the high number of people requiring medical attention, especially expectant mothers and patients with conditions like hernias, breast cancer, and gut perforation, which are among the prevalent cases treated at the hospital.
Patients who benefited from this medical camp, as well as Jinja City Woman Member of Parliament Manjeri Kyebakuttika, expressed their gratitude to the Turkish doctors for their generous and much-needed assistance.