Ruparelia Group Eye camp in Bukedea Restores Hope as Speaker Among Hosts Emorimor.
By Skika Reporter.
The Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among, on Monday, hosted the Emorimor Papa Iteso, Paul Sande Emolot Etomeileng, at the closing ceremony of three-day eye camp held in Bukedea District.
The medical outreach, organized by the Ruparelia Group through the Ruparelia Foundation, has been described as a transformative initiative, benefiting not only the people of Teso but also patients from neighboring regions.
Speaking at the event, Among Praised the Eye Camp as a first-of-its-kind service in the area, highlighting its impact in restoring sight and improving lives.
Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, Chairperson of the Ruparelia Group, revealed that this was the fourth eye camp organized by the foundation in Uganda, with the next outreach planned for Kasese. He added that the group intends to hold such camps every two years.
“We have also donated Shs50 million to the kingdom to support its social activities,” he noted.
Mrs. Jyotsna Ruparelia said the initiative was deeply personal, as it was carried out in memory of their son, Rajiv, who strongly believed in giving back to the community.
Representing the organizers, Sheena Ruparelia commended the speaker for her support and outlined the camp’s achievements.
A total of 1,400 patients were reached, with 145 adult surgeries conducted and more than 1,000 individuals screened. Additionally, 218 cataract cases were identified and scheduled for surgery.
She confirmed that surgeries would continue on-site until Wednesday, after which the remaining patients would be referred to facilities in Mbale Town for further treatment.
The camp also catered to children, with 30 pediatric cases identified, including several requiring surgery and specialized care such as prescription glasses.
Dr. Grace Sali, a senior ophthalmologist at the camp, emphasized the challenges many Ugandans face in accessing eye care.
“The only treatment for cataracts is surgery, but many patients cannot afford it,” she said, noting that high costs and long distances to urban hospitals often lead to preventable blindness.
Local leaders, led by Bukedea LC5 Chairperson Epilu Isaac, expressed gratitude for what they described as a life-changing intervention.
Bukedea County MP-elect David Beecham Okwere also applauded the initiative, noting that many patients received surgeries worth millions of shillings at no cost.
Residents like Joel Anyonga from Kumi District shared emotional testimonies, saying the free treatment restored hope after months of suffering without access to affordable care.
In his remarks, Emorimor Etomeileng praised the Ruparelia Foundation and the Speaker for their commitment to improving community health, noting that even patients from neighboring Kenya had benefited from the services.
The ceremony was marked by a tree-planting exercise and the unveiling of ambulances procured by MP-elect Okwere with support from the Speaker.
Despite the official closure, organizers confirmed that the eye camp will continue for an additional three days to complete all pending cataract surgeries.
