Archbishop Dr. John Baptist Odama, donating for a CT scan machine for Lacor Hospital.
“I am appealing to human kind wherever they are in the world, to remember those who died from northern Uganda because the region lacks a CT scan machine. We have found it worthwhile to involve all of you so that a CT scan machine can be installed at St. Mary’s hospital Lacor immediately to save lives of thousands who die because of lack of a CT scan machine”
“Many of you have travelled to Kampala for CT scan services and many of you have come from Kampala to Gulu. You don’t know how far Kampala it can be if you are sick. Patients who need CT scan are always very sick and travelling is a challenge. You can spend up to one million shillings (about US$280). Every patient can save up to that amount if CT scan service was available here”
GULU-UGANDA:The archbishop of Catholic’s Archdiocese of Gulu, Dr. John Baptist Odama has made a passionate appeal to human kind across the world to donate a CT scan machine to the sixty-three year old St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor in order to save thousands of lives who die in northern Uganda because the region lacks one.
“I am appealing to human kind wherever they are in the world, to remember those who died from northern Uganda because the region lacks a CT scan machine. We have found it worthwhile to involve all of you so that a CT scan machine can be installed at St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor immediately to save lives of thousands who die because of lack of a CT scan machine”, says the archbishop.
Dr. Odama made the remarks on Thursday September 19, 2019 during the launch of a fundraising drive to raise over three billion Uganda shillings (about US$840000) to buy a CT scan machine for St. Mary’s Hospital, Lacor which serves greater northern Uganda, South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“If the ambassadors were here, I would have asked them: ‘which country will donate a CT scan to St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor to serve not only the people of northern Uganda, but also patients who come from South Sudan and DRC’? I want to state in clear terms that the machine is important for our region. I launch this fundraising for the people to contribute wherever they are because distance does not matter.”
He contributed UGX.300000 shillings (about US$84) towards the project to purchase of the machine while President Yoweri Museveni contributed UGX.20 million (about US$5900) during the launch. Mr. Museveni was represented at the launch by his State Minister for Bunyoro Affairs, Mr. Arnest Kiiza, who handed the contribution of the president to Dr. Odama.
CT scan machine is a computerized tomography scan which uses computers and rotating X-ray machines to create cross sectional images of the body. These images provide more detailed information than normal X-ray machines. They can show soft tissues, blood vessels, bones in various parts of the body. It is very important for accident victims, cancer patients and for the treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) like diabetes.
Many patients who need CT scan from northern Uganda are always referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala to get the service. They are forced to spend about UGX one million (about US$ 280) on transport alone to reach the hospital in Kampala.
“Many of you have travelled to Kampala for CT scan services and many of you have come from Kampala to Gulu. You don’t know how far Kampala it can be if you are sick. Patients who need CT scan are always very sick and travelling is a challenge. You can spend up to one million shillings (about US$280). Every patient can save up to that amount if CT scan service was available here” says Dr. Odama.
In his speech which was read by Minister Arnest Kiiza, Mr. Museveni described the initiative to purchase a CT scan for Lacor hospital as ‘a great idea, noble and timely’.
“I am delighted to join you in his noble cause. I want to thank Archbishop Dr.Odama for initiating this great idea. Correct and timely diagnosis of diseases is important to avert some deaths to diseases like cancer, strokes and victims of accidents”, Mr. Museveni says in his letter.
He counseled the people of northern Uganda that NCD are very easy to control if you eat healthy food and do a lot of physical exercise. He regretted the fact 68% of Ugandans are still stuck in subsistence farming, leaving only a small percentage in commercial agriculture, service industries and ICT. He says his government is committed to creating wealth for all at household levels.
