By Andrew Irumba 
Speaker of Parliament Rt.Hon.Anita Annet Among (AAA) on Tuesday evening joined city tycoon Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia and the Ruparelia Foundation to officially launch the RR Eye Camp Bukedea edition, a major medical outreach initiative aimed at providing free eye care services to thousands of people in Eastern Uganda.
The launch ceremony was held at Kabira Country Club in Bukoto, Kampala, where Speaker Among presided over the event as chief guest alongside his buddy Sudhir Ruparelia and his wife Jyotsna Ruparelia, directors of the Ruparelia Group.
The upcoming eye camp, organised in honour of the late Rajiv Ruparelia, is scheduled to take place from March 27 to March 29, 2026 at Bukedea Teaching Hospital in Bukedea District.
Rajiv Ruparelia, son of businessman Sudhir Ruparelia, tragically lost his life in a car accident along Busabala Road early year.
Speaking during the launch, Jyotsna Ruparelia said the initiative holds deep emotional significance for the family because it celebrates Rajiv’s passion for philanthropy and community service.
She noted that the camp is intended to continue Rajiv’s legacy of helping disadvantaged communities access essential services.
“This eye camp is very special to us because it is in memory of our son Rajiv who strongly believed in giving back to society and supporting communities in need,” she said.
According to the organisers, the medical outreach will provide free eye screening and basic treatment to at least 2,000 people from Bukedea and surrounding districts.
The camp will also conduct about 300 cataract surgeries, including 50 specialised surgeries for children, while more than 800 reading glasses will be distributed free of charge.
Speaker Anita Among, who also serves as Woman Member of Parliament for Bukedea District, commended the Ruparelia Foundation for supporting government efforts to improve healthcare access in rural communities.
She praised Sudhir Ruparelia and his partners for bringing critical health services closer to the people of Bukedea.
“This initiative complements government programmes by extending specialised health services to communities that would otherwise struggle to access them,” Among said.
She added that such partnerships between the private sector and government are essential in addressing healthcare gaps across the country.
The three-day camp will also include specialised paediatric eye care services and an on-ground surgical theatre to ensure that patients receive treatment immediately without being referred elsewhere.
Organisers say the outreach is particularly important given that cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness in Uganda, while access to specialised eye care services in rural areas remains limited.
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with Mulago National Referral Hospital, C-Care and several other corporate partners who are supporting the mission to restore sight and improve the quality of life for residents in the Teso sub-region.
Through the Ruparelia Foundation, the Ruparelia family has for years supported a wide range of charitable programmes in education, health, sports development and community welfare across Uganda.
The Bukedea eye camp is expected to attract thousands of residents seeking free treatment during the three-day outreach later this month.
