Among donates Shs 50m to Rajiv Ruparelia memorial eye health camp

2026-03-23 - 11:25

Speaker of parliament Anita Among has donated Shs 50 million towards the Rajiv Ruparelia Memorial Free Eye Camp, a three-day medical outreach expected to benefit patients from eastern and northern Uganda. The camp, scheduled for March 27–29 at Bukedea Teaching Hospital, is organised by the Ruparelia Foundation and will offer eye screenings, cataract surgeries and free spectacles. Organisers said the outreach also includes a dedicated “vision fund” aimed at identifying patients with rare and complicated eye conditions from remote areas who may otherwise struggle to access specialised care. Among said part of her contribution would support this initiative. “This is not just about numbers or spectacles,” Among said. “We want to reach people who have been blind for years and have lost hope. Rajiv’s spirit demands that we find them.” Dr Sudhir Ruparelia said mobile clinics have already been deployed in some areas to identify and support patients in need of treatment. “The idea is simple: help first, announce later. Some of the people we’ve already treated had been blind for over a decade,” he said. The Ruparelia Foundation also announced that the memorial eye camp will become a biennial programme, with Kasese district expected to host the next edition. The mobile outreach clinics will continue operating in other underserved regions. Jyotsna Ruparelia said the initiative is intended to sustain Rajiv Ruparelia’s philanthropic legacy through expanded access to eye care services. “Sometimes, the greatest impact is the one nobody sees. This programme honours Rajiv not just in memory, but in the lives we restore every day,” she said.