By Joshua Niyonshima
The Kisoro district LCV chairperson Abel Bizimana has commended Crown Beverages Limited and its Board Chairman Dr. Amos Nzeyi for contributing a modern CT scan to St. Francis Hospital, Mutolere.
Bizimana says, the entire western region is set to benefit from this vital machine that will help patients with far more complex conditions access early and accurate diagnosis in order to seek better treatment.
The new SOMATOM go. Now. (161118) CT scan machine, which is currently being installed at the hospital is part of a pledge, Dr. Amos Nzeyi made to St. Francis hospital and the people of Kisoro district.
Bizimana says it is hard enough to loss a loved one but what really makes it worse, is the lack of information surrounding the death because doctors cannot exactly pinpoint what went wrong.
“We are often comforted by the statement that, it is God’s will when a loved one passes on but we all know that some of our people are taken from this world because they failed to access better medical care”, Bizimana explained
Bizimana says with a modern CT scan at St. Francis Hospital, Mutolere, more people will have a better fighting chance to live longer and more productively.
Bizimana however called on the hospital administrators to heavily subsidize the costs of accessing the service since a large portion of the population is still very poor and in dire need of the service.
Crown Beverages Limited Board Chairman Dr. Amos Nzeyi says his decision to donate a CT scan machine to St. Francis Hospital, Mutolere is based on a personal experience he encountered much earlier in his life when he lost a relative because doctors were completely without a choice.
Nzeyi, whose heritage can be traced back to Gisorora parish, Nyakabande Sub County, Kisoro district says, St. Francis Hospital, Mutolere holds sentimental value to his family because it is where his father got his medical care from celebrated doctors including but not limited to Dr. Damian Ndagijimana.
Dr. Amos Nzeyi, a market leader in the beverage industry and man above reproach says Corporate Social Responsibility is one of the top priorities at Crown Beverages Limited, reaching out to communities with the most need.
He explained that St. Francis Hospital, Mutolere has given so much to his family and continues to serve the people of Kisoro therefore, it is only fitting to give back to the hospital and to the people of Kisoro district.
Nzeyi says the total cost of the project including the CT scan and Building comes to 1. 5 billion Ugandan shillings.
“As a business we are continually seeking to provide appropriate solutions to the current challenges facing communities in and around us,” he concluded.
“The CT scan will go a long way in delivering image quality and other new clinical features required in today’s health arena, enabling doctors at the hospital to diagnose diseases and offer timely treatment improving the quality of life for everyone”, Nzeyi explained.
Crown Beverages Limited Chief Executive Officer CEO Paddy Muramiirah says the company, carefully chooses its projects meant to support the communities of Uganda, under the Corporate Social Investment engagements.
Muramiirah says during the Covid-19 lockdown, Crown Beverages invested heavily in offering support in the health sector and continues to channel funds into education, environment and sports.
Crown Beverages currently has a unique lineup of products including soft drinks like Pepsi, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Sting, Evervess and Nivana Water
Mutolere Hospital beacon of light
Dr. Jerome Mugisha, the hospital medical superintendent says the donation is timely and most appreciated by the medical fraternity in the district.
According to Dr. Jerome, St Francis Hospital, Mutolere receives close to seven patients every month seeking further treatment and further management for cancer related diseases.
According to the World Health Organization report on Cancer in Uganda 2020 shows that more than 34,000 new cases were reported.
The Science Direct journal of Cancer Policy dated March 2021 shows that 32,000 new cases were reported with 21,000 deaths caused by cancer.
Among the most frequent cancers include cancer of the cervix, Kaposi sarcoma, breast, prostate, liver cancers among others.
The same report states that 70% of new cancer cases are as a result of late diagnosis while 80% of the cases persist on because of limited access to diagnosis and treatment services leading to a high cancer death rate in the country.
Dr. Mugisha says the hospital has always been forced to refer cases of head injuries to hospitals as far as Mbarara and Kampala because the diagnosis at Mutolere would not be conclusive.
Dr. Mugisha says, as the hospital and community recover from the exciting news of a modern CT scan, competent and knowledgeable workers will be needed at the hospital to operate and maintain the machine.
He explained that the hospital continues work with limited staff and appealed to Government to support them with more health workers.
Suppliers of the CT scan Dr. Cvetanka Shirazi of Pacific Diagnostics says the machine is one of the most advanced innovations in the health sector adding that it will allow medical practitioners in Kisoro diagnose conditions in patients that have for far too long be a death sentence to many.
Dr. Cvetanka Shirazi thanked Dr. Nzeyi for being compassionate and selfless adding that in her professional career, she has never seen one man purchase such an expensive machine because only hospitals and other major institutions have made such purchases.
Kisoro Resident District Commissioner Peter Mugisha said Government should be commended for creating a suitable environment for local business men like Amos Nzeyi to give back to their communities.
Mugisha said the people of Kisoro and the rest of western Uganda can now access affordable medical care that will help them live healthier lives and make them more productive.
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