Africa-Press – Uganda. Several mourners thronged Kagamba catholic parish to pay their last respects to the fallen Ntungamo District Health Officer who collapsed in a sauna in Ntungamo town and died moments later.
Dr Richard Bakamuturaki was in a hotel Sauna alone when he collapsed and was only discovered by a hotel potter fighting for his life moments later.
A mass was held at Kagamba catholic parish led by the Parish Priest Rev Fr Alphonse Mukundane, with the church filled to capacity and his remains were buried at his ancestral home a few meters away from the church on Wednesday afternoon.
“Everyone who has interacted with Dr Bakamuturaki knows that he was a smart, industrious, jolly, and meaningful person who enjoyed living a good life. He was nicknamed good life because he never wanted stress. In that good life, he made others enjoy their lives too. It’s not for being a preacher, I have also lost a friend,” Rev Fr Mukundane said.
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Ntungamo DHO collapses in sauna, dies
Several mourners described him as irreplaceable.
His wife Susan Akankunda said he was a caring husband who loved his children, cared for his family, and cared for all people around him.
“When I got married to him he had three children, I have produced with him two more children, and there has not been a single day he came home not smiling. He would joke and be there for us, he loved us and cared for us,” Ms Akankuda said.
The proprietor of the Ankole Resort Hotel Mwesigwa Rukutana said it was unfortunate for the media to castigate rumours on the death of the medical officer. The former Rushenyi county MP said emerging news was becoming destructive to the social norm.
Dr Selestine Barigye, the director of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, who conducted the postmortem on the body of Dr Bakamuturaki, said he died of acute heart disease that led to heart failure given the circumstances of the sauna.
Dr Bakamuturaki had served as Ntungamo DHO for 10 years after an illustrious medical carrier at Rakai District and the USAID.
Dr Bakamuturaki is survived by 5 children and a wife.
