The Shia Ismaili Muslim Community in Uganda, in collaboration with the Kibuli hospital, hosted a free health services camp on Sunday, 13th May for a total of 605 residents. The camp is now in its second year of running as it serves the residents of Kibuli in the Makindye Division of Kampala. The camp comes as part of a vareity of events that aim to celebrate Mawlana Hazar Imam's 60 years of Imamat. 

Mr. Minaz Jamal, president of the Aga Khan National Council-Uganda said, “These Health Camps that the community has been facilitating are only a very small aspect of the work of the Ismaili Imamat and its various institutions - which try to enhance quality of life, mutual understanding and nurture a pluralistic ethos."

A similar outreach camp is held annually, and our association with the community of Kibuli, goes back to the early 1960’s and 70’s. We are able to do this with the generosity of our community's volunteers and donors from the pharmaceutical sector.” He further noted that Mawlana Hazar Imam, “founded the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) which brings together a number of development agencies, institutions, and programmes that work primarily in the poorest parts of Asia and Africa. While each agency pursues its own mandate, all of them work together within the overarching framework of the Aga Khan Development Network so that their different pursuits can interact and reinforce one another."

The network operates in over 35 countries, and our community and its volunteers constantly aspire to actively and confidently act in accordance with the network's ethics and values. In Uganda, the (AKDN) has significantly contributed in the field of Health, including the education for working nurses. Over 725 nurses have graduated from the programme and contribute to the country’s health. Mr. Nadim Lalani, Chairman of Outreach services under the Aga Khan National Council  remarked that, “we are of the view that by offering these Camp services, we are able to sensitize the Kibuli community about the importance of regular health checks. Non communicable diseases can also be extremely costly to treat and are a strain on families and governments and therefore important that we look after our health and take preventative measures".

This year the camp was generously supported by Astra Pharma (U) Ltd, Kampala Pharmaceutical Industries (KPI), which is part of the AKDN, and Leo Biscuit Industry Ltd. One of the volunteers from the Health Committee was of the view that, “In Uganda, as in other countries around the globe, due to stress, poor eating habits, physical inactivity, and other social factors, we are all susceptible to slow progressing, chronic illnesses known as non-communicable diseases. These diseases are of the likes of diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases (e.g. heart attacks and strokes), and chronic respiratory diseases (e.g. asthma), which according to the World Health Organization (WHO), are the leading cause of death in the world and account for 70% of global deaths annually. Therefore this type of health educational intervention and awareness is very critical”.