UK envoy donates children’s ward to Busolwe hospital
Outgoing State Minister for Health Sarah Opendi (centre) and UK trade envoy Dolar Amarshi Popat (2nd left) with other officials at the commissioning of the children’s ward at Buslowe hospital in Butaleja District on Sunday. Photo by Joseph Omollo
The United Kingdom Prime Minister’s envoy to Rwanda and Uganda, Mr Dolar Amarshi Popat, has donated a children’s ward to Busolwe hospital in Butaleja District to improve healthcare.
The 40-bed facility worth $150,000 (about Shs540m) was constructed in memory of his late mother, Parvatiben Amarsh Popat, who served as a midwife in the hospital before they were expelled by the late Idi Amin’s government in 1972.
“We have constructed this facility because this is where all our family members sought healthcare. When we visited the children’s ward, it was in a deplorable state. This is just the commencement of our long term plans for this hospital,’’ Mr Popat said on Sunday.
He said they would also work with Leicester hospital in the UK where specialised medics will have an opportunity to benefit from capacity building as well as have exchange visits for benchmarking.
While commissioning the facility, the outgoing minister of State for Health in charge of General Duties, Ms Sarah Opendi, now in the minerals docket, commended the UK envoy for giving back to his roots.
Ms Opendi advised health workers to deliver services diligently as their profession requires to preserve and save lives without being motivated to steal from the sick.
“Government has done its best, including increasing salaries of health workers beginning this financial year and there is no reason as to why you should ask for money from poor patients,’’ she said.
The minister also appealed to the health workers to always be on duty, saying some patients die because they are not given attention at a required time.
She said government has allocated Shs21b towards the renovation of Busolwe hospital but regretted that the process has taken long with the delayed completion of the designs by the Spanish consultants.
She urged the district leadership to fight against corruption, especially in the procurement process.
Mr Richard Waya, the district chairperson, lauded Mr Popat for the good gesture, saying it would boost the hospital’s capacity to also serve neighbouring districts.
Dr Ivan Wambi, the acting hospital medical superintendent, appealed to government to equip the facility with incubators.
Mr Popat was born in Busolwe, Butaleja District on June 14, 1953, and studied in Busolwe Primary School and Manjasi High School.
He spent his early life in Tororo District and moved to the UK in 1971 at the age of 17, a year before the expulsion of Asians from Uganda.
