By Johnson Kanyesige
Hundreds of residents gathered in Waki Village, Kapapi Sub County, Hoima District, for a free HIV/AIDS awareness and health boot camp organized by the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) in partnership with TASO Masindi.
The three-day health drive began on Tuesday in Runga, continued in Waki, and will conclude today in Kabolwa, covering communities in both Hoima and Buliisa districts.
Residents received a wide range of free medical services, including HIV testing and counseling, prostate and cervical cancer screening, diabetes and hypertension checks, hepatitis B screening, general health education, and medical consultations.
LC1 Secretary Mr. Oryema Jakuma appealed to government to improve water access in Waki, noting that villagers rely on river water shared with livestock and wild animals.
Kapapi Sub County LC3 Chairperson Mr. Godfrey Mwesigwa warned that lakeshore communities remain vulnerable to waterborne diseases such as typhoid, cholera, and bilharzia due to unsafe water sources.
Uganda AIDS Commission representative Mr. Victor Rwengabo revealed that patients diagnosed with HIV would immediately begin treatment, with some receiving up to six months’ supply of ARVs to reduce the burden of frequent travel to health centers.
UNOC’s Corporate Affairs officer, Mr. Robert Mukondo explained that the initiative forms part of the company’s social impact programs in the Kasuruban Contract Area, spanning Hoima, Buliisa, and Masindi districts.
