The Ruparelia Foundation has officially launched the RR Eye Camp Bukedea, a free medical outreach that aims to examine at least 2,000 patients and carry out about 300 cataract surgeries for communities in Eastern Uganda. At the launch event on Tuesday evening at Kabira Country Club, Anita Among, the Speaker of Parliament, pledged Shs50 million to support the initiative.
The outreach program will take place from March 27 to 29 at Bukedea Teaching Hospital. Along with surgeries, the camp will also provide over 800 pairs of eyeglasses to patients from Bukedea District and the larger Teso Sub-Region at no cost. Foundation chairman Sudhir Ruparelia attended the launch with medical professionals, partners, and government officials.
This outreach honors the late Rajiv Ruparelia, son of Sudhir Ruparelia, who died in a road accident on Busabala Road in May last year.
During the launch, Jyotsna Ruparelia, a director at the Ruparelia Group, shared that Rajiv had supported the idea of the eye camp shortly before his death. She remembered him sending her a message encouraging her to set the date for the outreach while he would handle the rest. She mentioned that she never imagined she would stand before the public talking about the project without him.
Jyotsna explained that continuing Rajiv’s vision has become a source of strength for the family. Although his loss is deeply painful, she expressed that carrying forward the generosity and compassion he valued gives them purpose.
One unique feature of the program is that fully equipped surgical theatres will be established right at Bukedea Teaching Hospital. This setup allows patients to receive treatment nearby rather than traveling long distances to Kampala or other major cities.
Grace Ssali, an ophthalmologist from Mulago National Referral Hospital, stated that the need for eye treatment in the region is high. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in Uganda, and surgery in a private facility can cost around Shs5 million, which many rural families cannot afford. During a previous outreach in Bukedea, her team screened over 6,000 people and found more than 200 patients who needed surgery but lacked the funds to pay.
She mentioned that the partnership with the Ruparelia Foundation now enables many of those patients to receive the care they urgently need.
The camp will also offer screenings for glaucoma, a condition that can cause permanent blindness without early detection. Young patients will receive special attention, with around 50 surgeries planned specifically for them. Doctors warn that untreated vision problems in children can lead to lasting damage since the brain’s visual system develops early. Additionally, hundreds of prescription glasses will be distributed to both adults and children.
Uganda has a limited number of eye specialists for its population of over 40 million people, and most practice in urban areas. Consequently, rural communities, especially in the Teso region, often find it hard to access specialized eye care.
Jyotsna encouraged families in the region to take advantage of the free services. She urged residents of Bukedea and surrounding districts to bring their children, relatives, and neighbors to the camp so they can benefit from the available treatments.
She concluded by saying that Rajiv believed true success in life is measured by how much people give back to others. Through the RR Eye Camp Bukedea, the family hopes to uphold that belief by helping restore sight and hope to those in need.
