Eastern Uganda residents to benefit from the Ruparelia Foundation’s free eye care medical camp.

In continued memory of legacy of outreach charitable  programs that were exhibited by the late Uganda Businessman Rajiv Ruparelia that address critical health needs across the country, the Ruparelia Foundation, has announced a three-day free eye medical camp in eastern Uganda aimed at improving access to treatment and restoring sight for hundreds of patients.

The outreach, dubbed Bukedea Eye Camp 2026, will run from March 27 to 29 at Bukedea Teaching Hospital in Bukedea District to provide free eye screening and basic treatment to more than 2,000 people, and about 300 cataract surgeries—including 50 for children—are also expected to be conducted, while more than 700 reading and corrective glasses will be distributed to patients in need.

Health experts say preventable blindness remains a major challenge in rural parts of Uganda, where specialised eye care services are often limited or unaffordable. Cataracts and refractive errors are among the leading causes of avoidable vision loss.

The foundation says previous eye camps have screened more than 4,000 people and restored sight to hundreds through surgery and corrective lenses.

Ahead of the outreach, organisers will officially launch the programme during a press event on March 10 at Kabira Country Club.

In partnership with Mulago National Referral Hospital and C-Care Uganda, the camp will offer comprehensive services including free eye check-ups, cataract screenings, distribution of reading and children’s glasses, and cataract surgeries for eligible patients. Specialist medical teams will be on site to ensure high-quality care.

The outreach targets communities in Bukedea, Soroti, Mbale, Gulu, Lira, Tororo, and Kapchorwa, where access to specialized eye treatment remains limited. Hundreds of adults and children are expected to benefit, with the program emphasizing early intervention to prevent avoidable blindness.