Africa-Press – Uganda. While many families across Busoga marked Christmas at home, hundreds of patients spent the festive season on hospital beds. For them, the day came with an unexpected visit, warm meals and a message of hope.
Hellen Namutamba, the Busoga Minister for Tourism and Heritage, led a team on behalf of the First Deputy Prime Minister, Rebecca Kadaga, to celebrate Christmas with patients and health workers in hospitals across the region, including Bugiri, Iganga General Hospital and Jinja Regional Referral Hospital.
Moving ward to ward, the delegation delivered food, hampers, drinks, soap and T-shirts to patients and their caretakers many of whom had no relatives by their side.
Namutamba said the outreach was meant to remind patients that they are not forgotten, even as they battle illness during the festive season. She conveyed Christmas greetings from President Yoweri Museveni and Rebecca Kadaga, wishing patients a quick recovery and thanking health workers for keeping services running during the holidays.
“At Christmas, families are supposed to be together, but some of our people are here in hospital. We came to share love with them and let them feel the spirit of the season,” Namutamba said.
The team first visited Bugiri Hospital, where more than 200 patients and caretakers were served meals and given hampers. At Iganga General Hospital, over 300 patients benefited from the same gesture, with local leaders and hospital administrators joining in the distribution.
At Jinja Regional Referral Hospital and Jinja Children’s Hospital, Namutamba praised the management for maintaining cleanliness and ensuring patients receive free treatment and medicines.
“Patients told us they do not buy medicine outside. Treatment is free, and children in the nutrition unit are given food and medication,” she said, noting that Jinja’s elevation to a regional referral hospital had improved services.
She also highlighted ongoing and planned improvements, including the restoration of hospital land for expansion and the push to equip the facility with critical services such as dialysis, which is still lacking in the Busoga sub-region.
As part of the visit, 50 Christmas hampers from Rebecca Kadaga were officially handed over to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital to support patients who could not celebrate Christmas at home.
At Iganga General Hospital, the Medical Superintendent Ramathan Mugolofa welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely support for some of the most vulnerable patients.
“We are celebrating out there, but some of our people could not make it. Some don’t even have caretakers or basic necessities,” he said. “This package will go a long way in helping those who have no relatives here.”
Mugolofa said Iganga Hospital serves patients from across Busoga because of its location along a major highway, which puts pressure on space and supplies.
“Sometimes patients even lie on the floor because of congestion. We attend to them because we have no choice,” he explained.
The superintendent noted that government is aware of the challenges and that plans are underway to expand the hospital.
He also revealed that an initiative led by Rebecca Kadaga is set to establish a diagnostic centre at the facility, addressing long-standing gaps in imaging and related services.
However, he warned that frequent medicine stock-outs remain a major challenge due to the high patient numbers. “We receive medicines on a two-month cycle, but because of the volume of patients, stocks can run out before the cycle ends,” he said.
Despite the challenges, patients and health workers expressed gratitude for the Christmas visit, saying the food, gifts and prayers lifted spirits during a difficult time.
For many lying in hospital wards this Christmas, the visit brought more than supplies, it brought comfort, attention and the simple reassurance that someone cares.
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