News and Events

Thousands Turn Up For Medical Surgical Camp Organized By Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) in Yumbe

• 30th September, 2023 5:00am

WEST NILE - Over 2,000 patients have been scanned for Hernia and received free medical services at Yumbe Regional Hospital and Yumbe Health IV centre in Yumbe district, West Nile.

The one-week camp, which was organized by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in partnership with the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) and Uganda's private medical Practitioners mainly focused on counseling, screening, and surgery for diseases such as hernia.

According to Health workers, the majority of the patients come from Yumbe, Moyo, Koboko, Maracha, Madi-Okollo, Arua,  South Sudan, and from Refugee Communities in the region.

Dr Odongo Patrick Olwedo,  District Health Officer Yumbe says it has been difficult for the major health facilities in the district to conduct surgeries on patients with such conditions due to the limited number of specialists.

“These (health camps) are our temporary measures to handle the backlog, we have a big backlog of these untreated surgical conditions, so the camp has relieved us of such conditions as temporary.” Dr Odongo said in a meeting with the Islamic team yesterday.

He added "If we could have such camps at the healthy at the facility. We could save many patients."

Speaking to Patients at the Hospital in Yumbe, Hon Huda Oleru Abason, Member of Parliament(MP) Aringa East and State Minister for Defence appreciated the organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) for bringing medical services to close the district.

“We are indeed so grateful for bringing the surgical medical camp to my home Yumbe, this is the first time OIC and its partners are visiting us. You have no idea what you are doing to the locals. Many of them here cannot afford to foot medical bills for such surgeries.” The minister explained.

She added “But as you see the number of patients with cases is increasing every day and I want to use this opportunity to ask the Muslim community to at least camp for two weeks in the district.” The minister said.

The minister said that by 7 a.m., sharp the residents had already started gathering at the hospital premises noting that they were overwhelmed by the number of patients that turned up from different areas for treatment.

About Hernia
Hernia occurs when a section of the intestines protrudes through weak abdominal muscles. “Soft bulges usually develop underneath the skin, at the hernia site. It mostly occurs around the belly button (umbilical hernia) or in the groin area (Inguinal hernias).