Kampala, Uganda: Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Anita Among, who also serves as Bukedea Woman Member of Parliament, has injected Shs50 million to support the upcoming Rajiv Ruparelia Memorial Free Eye Health Camp, an initiative expected to provide life-changing treatment to thousands of people across Eastern and Northern Uganda.
The three-day medical outreach, organised by the Ruparelia Foundation, will take place from March 27 to March 29, 2026, at Bukedea Teaching Hospital, offering specialised eye care services including screenings, cataract surgeries and distribution of spectacles.
The initiative was officially launched Tuesday, March 10, at Kabira Country Club in Kampala, bringing together partners, friends and supporters of the late Rajiv Ruparelia, whose legacy of philanthropy continues to inspire community outreach programmes.
Rajiv, the former Managing Director of the Ruparelia Group, died in a road accident along Busabala Road on May 3, 2025 at the age of 35.
Speaking at the launch, Hon Among praised the Ruparelia family for continuing Rajiv’s legacy of philanthropy through initiatives that benefit communities. “Rajiv was a staunch advocate of philanthropy, and I wish to extend my gratitude to his family for upholding his legacy,” she remarked.
Ms Among commended the Ruparelia Foundation for supporting government efforts by delivering critical health services closer to communities. “Thank you, Ruparelia Foundation, led by my brother Sudhir Ruparelia, for augmenting government initiatives by bringing essential services closer to the community and serving humanity,” she said.
Dr Sudhir Ruparelia, chairman of the Ruparelia Group, praised Speaker Among for supporting the initiative and for the affection she always showed toward his late son.
“I want to thank the Rt. Hon. Anita Among, for the love she always showed Rajiv while he was still alive and for standing with our family even today. Your support to this eye camp shows the compassion you have for the people of Bukedea and Uganda,” Sudhir said.
He said the outreach reflects Rajiv’s lifelong belief that business success must be accompanied by meaningful social impact. “Rajiv believed strongly in giving back to society. Through this camp, we want to continue his dream of helping communities access services that would otherwise remain beyond their reach,” Sudhir added.
Sudhir also revealed that the free eye camp will become a periodic programme held every two years, with the next outreach already planned for Kasese District.
“This will not be a one-time event. We shall organise this camp every two years in different parts of the country so that more Ugandans benefit. After Bukedea, the next one will be held in Kasese,” he announced.
Speaking on behalf of the Ruparelia Foundation, Ms Jyotsna Ruparelia thanked the Ugandan community for the support the family has received over the years, saying philanthropy is the foundation’s way of giving back.
“Ugandans have always shown love and support to the Ruparelia family. The best way we can give back is through initiatives that improve people’s lives,” Jyotsna said.
She explained that the decision to organise an eye health camp was deliberate because vision is central to human activity. “The eyes drive all other parts of the body. If you cannot see, it becomes difficult to perform many daily activities. That is why protecting sight is so important,” she said.
The Bukedea eye camp medical outreach is being implemented in partnership with Mulago National Referral Hospital and C-Care, bringing together specialised medical teams to deliver critical eye care services to communities that often struggle to access treatment.
During the camp, patients will receive free eye examinations, cataract screening, reading glasses, children’s spectacles and cataract surgeries for selected patients. Residents from Bukedea, Soroti, Mbale, Gulu, Lira, Tororo and Kapchorwa are particularly encouraged to attend.
The Bukedea eye camp is also being supported by several corporate partners, including Swastik Pharmaceuticals, Dembe Trading Enterprises, Abacus Pharma, Goldstar Insurance, Pepsi, Royal Pharma 2011 Ltd, Joban Group, Risha International Ltd, Lato Milk and Gittoes Pharmaceuticals.
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