Minister Baryomunsi dispels doubts over Lwanga’s death
Bishops and Papal knights standing behind the casket of the fallen Archbishop's body inside the Namugongo Martyrs's basilica before the requiem mass yesterday. PHOTO | STEPHEN OTAGE
What you need to know:
- Dr Baryomunsi said the doctors’ report showed that Archbishop Lwanga had a pre-existing heart disease, which was being managed while a postmortem report indicated that he had ischemic heart disease following coronary heart thrombosis, which means his heart was diseased.
Dr Chris Baryomunsi, the State Minister for Housing, has explained the cause of death of Archbishop of Kampala Cyprian Kizito Lwanga.
“The doctors have already explained the cause of death. I, however, want to take this opportunity as a medical doctor to also further provide an explanation so that we all appreciate the cause of Dr Lwanga’s death,” Dr Baryomunsi told mourners during a requiem Mass at Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine Namugongo yesterday.
“When you also read the commentaries on social media and the public dormain, you still see people who are skeptical and also trying to understand how this (death) could happen,” he added.
Dr Baryomunsi said the doctors’ report showed that Archbishop Lwanga had a pre-existing heart disease, which was being managed while a postmortem report indicated that he had ischemic heart disease following coronary heart thrombosis, which means his heart was diseased.
The minister said the heart has blood vessels that supply blood. So when the blood gets oxygen, it then goes to the heart which in turn serves it to the rest of the body.
“Situations can, however, occur where these blood vessels get clogged with fatty deposits and they settle inside walls of the coronary arteries, especially after the age of 40 and 50,” Dr Baryomunsi said.
“When fats deposit inside the arteries, it means parts of the heart do not get adequate blood and oxygen. The fats that get deposited are sticky to the extent that clots can form and, depending on their size and how they spread, they can be deposited elsewhere,” he added.
Dr Baryomunsi said in such a situation, a clot can block the heart from pumping blood hence causing sudden death.
