Thousands To Benefit As Ruparelia Foundation Launches Free Eye Camp In Bukedea In Memory Of Rajiv Ruparelia

By Gad Masereka

Kampala, Uganda: Hundreds of Ugandans suffering from preventable blindness are set to regain their sight after the Ruparelia Foundation launched a major eye care initiative that will deliver free screening, treatment and surgery to communities in eastern Uganda later this month.

The outreach, known as the RR Eye Camp, will take place in Bukedea District from March 27 to 29 and is expected to screen more than 2,000 patients while providing hundreds of life changing procedures including cataract and glaucoma surgeries.

The initiative was unveiled at Kabira Country Club during an event attended by senior government officials, medical specialists and members of the Ruparelia family, with Anita Annet Among officiating as the guest of honour.

Organisers said the camp will bring specialised eye treatment directly to rural communities where many patients struggle to access or afford medical services. The effort is being carried out in partnership with doctors from Mulago National Referral Hospital and Bukedea Teaching Hospital, alongside several private sector partners and volunteers.

Speaking during the launch, ophthalmologist Dr. Grace Ssali explained that cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness in Uganda, particularly among adults over the age of 40. She noted that the condition occurs when the natural lens of the eye gradually becomes cloudy, similar to the greying of hair as people age.

“The only treatment for cataracts is surgery,” Dr. Ssali said. “In private hospitals the procedure can cost about five million shillings for one eye, which means many of our patients simply cannot afford it. That is why initiatives like this are extremely important.”

She added that the camp will also focus on glaucoma, another serious eye disease that can lead to permanent blindness if not detected early. Unlike cataracts, glaucoma damage cannot be reversed once vision is lost, making early screening and treatment critical.

“This week we are also marking glaucoma awareness because it is another major cause of blindness,” she said. “If we identify it early, we can prevent vision loss. Through this camp we hope to screen and treat many people before the condition becomes irreversible.”

The medical team also plans to perform surgeries on children with eye complications, a delicate and costly process that specialists say must be done early while the visual pathways are still developing.

“We have a waiting list of children who need urgent attention,” Dr. Ssali explained. “Operating on children requires specialised care and resources, but if we delay too long the opportunity to restore proper vision may be lost.”

Beyond surgery, the outreach will distribute more than 800 reading glasses and about 200 prescription spectacles for children, all free of charge. Doctors say providing spectacles on site will help many young patients who would otherwise struggle to continue school because of poor vision.

For the Ruparelia family, the camp also carries deep personal meaning. Speaking on behalf of the foundation, Jyotsna Ruparelia said the initiative is being organised in memory of the late Rajiv Ruparelia, whose commitment to community service inspired the programme.

“Sight is something many of us take for granted,” she said. “But for thousands of people, a simple surgery or even a pair of glasses can completely transform their lives. It allows a parent to work again, a child to return to school and an elderly person to regain independence.”

She added that Rajiv had personally expressed interest in organising an eye camp before his passing, making the project both a tribute to his legacy and a continuation of his belief in helping others.

Addressing guests at the event, Speaker Anita Among praised the Ruparelia family for supporting government efforts to expand healthcare access in underserved communities.

“As a government it is our responsibility to provide health services to our people,” Among said. “But initiatives like this bring services closer to those who need them most. The people of Bukedea and the surrounding districts will benefit greatly from this medical camp.”

In support of the programme, the Speaker pledged a personal contribution of Shs50 million to help fund surgeries and medical supplies, describing it as a small contribution toward an initiative that will restore dignity and opportunity for many families.

Businessman and philanthropist Sudhir Ruparelia, who founded the Ruparelia Foundation, said the organisation plans to institutionalise the RR Eye Camp as a regular humanitarian programme.

He revealed that the foundation intends to organise the eye camp every two years, with the next edition planned for Kasese District, the region where he was born.

Health experts say the programme could significantly reduce cases of preventable blindness if similar initiatives are expanded across the country.

For many patients expected in Bukedea, the upcoming camp will represent more than a medical intervention. It will mark the return of sight, independence and renewed hope for the future.