Rugarama Hospital Luanches Kidney Care Unit

Kabale, 28th Jan 2025

The Diocese of Kigezi, in collaboration with the Tumusiime Mutebire Foundation, has officially launched a state-of-the-art Kidney Care Unit at Rugarama Hospital in Kabale Municipality.

This initiative is in honor of the legacy of the late Emanuel Tumusiime Mutebire, former Governor of the Bank of Uganda, who established the foundation.

Dr. Nicholas Kamara, Member of Parliament for Kabale Municipality and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Forum on Non-Communicable Diseases, highlighted that the new kidney care unit is the first of its kind in the region and will significantly contribute to addressing the growing problem of chronic kidney disease in Uganda.

Kigezi Dioecece Bishop Rr Rev Gaddie Akanjuna at the event

Kamara made a personal donation of one million shillings to support the project and committed to advocating for additional government funding to reduce patient costs. He pointed to the success of government-funded dialysis services at Kirudu Hospital, where the cost of dialysis was reduced from 600,000 shillings to 60,000 shillings, making it more accessible to patients.

The dialysis service at Rugarama’s newly launched unit will initially charge patients 200,000 shillings per session, which is already a lower cost compared to other facilities. Kamara further promised to push for a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement to reduce this fee to 100,000 shillings per session, easing the financial burden on patients.

In addition to the kidney care unit, Kamara announced the acquisition of a new ambulance, which will significantly improve access to medical care in the mountainous Kabale Municipality. The ambulance will enhance transportation for critical cases, especially for referrals to higher-level medical facilities.

Photo showing the launched dialysis section at the hospital

The announcement of the ambulance was met with enthusiasm by local residents, who recognized its potential to improve health care access in the region. As an advocate for health, Kamara has previously made significant contributions to local health services, including donating ultrasound machines to several health facilities in Kabale, such as Kirigime Health Center, Kamukira Health Center, Rugarama Hospital, and Rushoroza Hospital.

Kamara’s ongoing commitment to health care in Kabale Municipality underscores his dedication to improving the well-being of his constituents and tackling non-communicable diseases through legislative advocacy and direct support.