KAMPALA, Uganda–The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has provided assorted medical equipment worth over UGX366million to selected health facilities across the country in a bid to improve access to medical services.
Beneficiary health centers include Kiruddu hospital, Bukalasi health center III in Budduda, Mpigi hospital, Arua Hospital and Kasiinzi hospital in Rukungiri. The equipment will specifically support their intensive care and accident units as well as maternity wards.
Handing over the first set of equipment to Kiruddu Hospital today, Richard Byarugaba, NSSF Managing Director, said that this was a continuation of the Fund’s 2018 Customer Connect Week initiative that is exclusively dedicated to engaging with its members as well as contributing to the social wellbeing of their communities.
“Guaranteeing a better for our members goes beyond our statutory mandate of providing social security services and extends to contributing to the well-being of underprivileged communities,” he said. “We are confident that the medical equipment we are donating this week will go a long way in improving health facilities and impact lives of those who need them most.”
The health centers will receive the following;
• Kiruddu Hospital: Equipment worth shs87m for the intensive care unit, including monitors, suction machines and oxygen concentrators.
• Bukalasi Health center III in Bududa :Equipment worth shs62m for the maternity ward, including an incinerator, delivery beds, solar system for the ward and incubators
• Mpigi Hospital: Equipment worth shs80m for both the accident emergency unit and maternity ward, including a blood refrigerator, shadowless operating lamp, trolley stretcher, resuscitators, operating theatre table, suction pump and delivery instrument sets.
• Arua Referral Hospital : Equipment worth shs41m for the maternity ward, including delivery beds, trolley stretcher and renovating the ward
• Kisiizi Hospital in Rukungiri: Equipment worth shs94m including an anesthetic machine and ventilator, autoclaves and water distillers.
Officiating at the handover of equipment at Mpigi Hospital, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Mrs Amelia Kyambadde lauded NSSF for their support towards the health sector, saying the donations will improve the quality of care for patients at the different health centers.
“Shortage of adequate medical equipment is one of the challenges we are facing in the health centers today. We welcome the contribution by NSSF as we continuously look for resources to provide better equipment to improve the health facilities,” she said.
As part of the Corporate Social Responsibility agenda, the Fund engages in community interventions every year, focusing on health, education, the youth and the underprivileged.
Some of the key initiatives include national blood donation drive where the Fund mobilized over 5,800 units in January this year, refurbishment of Kampala Public Primary schools in partnership with KCCA, and support to community projects in partnership with Community based organisations countrywide.
Last week, the Fund also conducted a health camp for Hepatitis B screening and yellow fever vaccination in partnership with National Medical Stores that benefitted over 5000 people. This in addition to medical equipment worth shs370million to Kawaala health center, Masaka and Soroti referral hospitals and Hope for Humans in Kitgum donated last year.
