Dfcu Bank on Friday officially handed over a new 100-seat shelter and a renovated children’s play area to Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) to provide outpatients with a safe and decent waiting area and a fun play area for the children.
This transfer follows a pledge made by the Bank about six months ago to build a shelter at an estimated Shs 80M in the facility that will receive up to 6,000 patients weekly, with many of these camping under trees while awaiting consultation from the government. doctors.
While handing over the care and play area for the children to the management of the UCI, Mathias Katamba, CEO of dfcu, called on individuals and organizations to also work with UCI “because much more can be done to reduce the burden that cancer has imposed on individuals across the country.”
“This autonomous institution helps us all and treats our relatives, brothers, children and sometimes ourselves. So we have to support the collective,” Katamba said.
Adding: “Having a lasting impact on individuals and communities is an important part of the Corporate Social Investment initiatives that dfcu Bank is involved in across Uganda. We are therefore delighted to be able to present this new facility, which will give hundreds of patients and carers the opportunity to sit and rest after long days of treatment and travel.”
Mathias Katamba speaks during the handover ceremony.
During the function, Dr. Victoria Walusansa, the Deputy Executive Director of the Uganda Cancer Institute, expressed her gratitude to dfcu Bank for their outstanding humanitarian efforts and prioritizing the health of Ugandans.
She further praised the Bank for refurbishing the children’s play area “which is sometimes the only source of normalcy for the children battling the deadly disease.”
“The fact that cancer continues to be a problem in Uganda is evidenced by the high patient burden here at the Uganda Cancer Institute. We are eternally grateful to dfcu Bank for partnering with us to improve the experience of patients and their carers during these difficult times in their lives,” she noted.
The transfer was officiated by Hon. Margaret Muhanga Mugisha, the state health minister in charge of primary health care, praised dfcu for complementing government efforts to improve health care.
“The effects of cancer tend to burden not only patients but their families financially, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Any efforts to support them through this time are needed and appreciated,” she said.
“Statistics indicate that we receive approximately 6,000 patients per week at the Institute. Usually the space available is not enough to accommodate them all,” she added.
Officials take a tour of the renovated children’s playground.
With this waiting shelter and a play area for the children going through unimaginable challenges, Muhanga noted, the burden on both patients and caregivers will be eased,” she said.
UCI was founded in 1967 with the mission of providing state-of-the-art cancer care services and advancing knowledge through research and training.
It is the only facility in the country to offer cancer care and therefore continues to struggle with the high patient load.
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