Guest Writer
More than 370 students at the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) Kampala Campus have received free sickle cell testing and health services through a community medical outreach organised by dfcu Bank and Rotary Uganda, as the partners continue expanding a nationwide preventive healthcare programme that has already reached more than 30,000 Ugandans.
The one-day health camp provided sickle cell screening, medical consultations, health education, nutritional counselling, mental health awareness and referrals for specialised treatment where required. For many students, it was their first opportunity to learn their sickle cell status, a critical step in preventing and managing one of Uganda’s most significant inherited health conditions.
Uganda continues to carry one of the world’s highest sickle cell burdens. Approximately 13% of Ugandans carry the sickle cell trait, while an estimated 20,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease each year. Health experts say many people remain unaware of their status until after they have children, making early screening among young adults one of the most effective tools for prevention and informed decision-making.
The IUIU outreach forms part of a three-year partnership through which dfcu Bank committed UGX 1 billion towards community healthcare interventions delivered with Rotary Uganda. The partnership is designed to expand access to preventive healthcare services while strengthening awareness, early diagnosis and referral pathways for communities that would otherwise struggle to access such services.
To date, the initiative has reached more than 30,000 people through medical camps conducted across different parts of Uganda. Beneficiaries have accessed consultations, diagnostic screenings and specialised referrals, while 22 children from Western Uganda have undergone life-saving heart surgeries through the programme.
Speaking at the event, dfcu Bank Sustainability Manager Diana Nanono said the bank views healthcare access as an important component of sustainable development because poor health often undermines household financial stability, productivity and long-term economic opportunity.
She noted that sickle cell screening is particularly important for young people, many of whom remain unaware of their status until much later in life, yet the information can play a critical role in future health and family planning decisions. She added that by bringing screening services directly to communities and institutions such as IUIU, the partnership is helping people make informed choices while improving access to preventive healthcare.
Nanono further explained that the programme reflects dfcu‘s broader commitment to creating shared value in the communities it serves, with employees actively participating through the Rotary Club of Kampala Blue Hearts, Uganda’s first corporate Rotary club.
The programme is implemented alongside healthcare partners including Joint Medical Stores, Mengo Blood Bank and the Organisation for Promotion of Health.
Rotarian Moses Kibirige of the Rotary Club of Kiwafu Breeze said many people living with sickle cell disease know their condition, but a significant number of carriers remain unaware of their status. He noted that community screening initiatives help close this knowledge gap and empower young people to make informed decisions before marriage and parenthood.
Kibirige commended dfcu Bank for supporting the initiative, stating that private-sector partnerships play a critical role in enabling Rotary to provide free healthcare services and extend their reach into communities that need them most.
For Nkwanga Nabilah Hamidah, a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery student at IUIU, the camp provided a long-awaited opportunity to finally learn her sickle cell status.
She said she had wanted to take the test for a long time but had not found the opportunity, making the free screening particularly valuable. Motivated by a family history of sickle cell disease, Hamidah said she wanted clarity on whether she carried the gene and appreciated the fact that the service had been brought directly to the university at no cost to students.
Since its launch, the dfcu-Rotary health partnership has conducted medical camps in communities including Nakivubo, Mbuya, Kasenyi Landing Site, Mbarara, Ibanda and Masaka, among others, providing access to preventive healthcare services and strengthening referral pathways for specialised treatment.
As demand for community-based healthcare services continues to grow, dfcu Bank and Rotary Uganda remain committed to expanding outreach efforts across the country, bringing preventive healthcare, early diagnosis and health education closer to the communities that need them most.
