Africa-Press – Uganda. The Bishop of Ankole Diocese Rt Rev Sheldon Mwesigwa has appealed to religious leaders to prioritise the healthcare of believers in their ministry.
Bishop Mwesigwa in his speech during a pastoral visit to Ruharo Mission Hospital in Mbarara City on Friday said there are many people in communities who are suffering because they don’t know they are living with diseases.
“We agreed in the diocesan council that whenever I am going for pastoral visits, we move with a team of doctors from Ruharo Mission Hospital to carry medical screening. We have since noticed and overwhelmed by the big numbers of people in communities who live with diseases but are not aware,” he said.
He said they discovered that some of these people in rural communities are too poor to afford transport to go for treatment and care, but also some are very old and need support.
The Bishop appealed to religious leaders even those who may not have health service centres to have partnerships with health service providers in government and other private players to see that as they move out to preach the gospel they also provide a health service.
The Diocesan health coordinator Dr Joseph Magyezi said since January this year, they have followed the Bishop and his team during pastoral visits in 89 places and screened a total of 7,802 people in general health and eye care.
He said some of the common diseases they discovered included diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure, and eye problems among others.
At the function, Ruharo Mission Hospital also donated 23 hospital beds to the lower health units of the diocese.
“We received some hospital beds from well-wishers but to ensure effective health service delivery, we decided to donate some of these to our six lower health centres,” Dr Beckson Tayebwa, the hospital’s medical superintendent said.
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