OPM conducts health camp in Nakivale Settlement, prays for upgrade of Health center III

By Ismael Kasooha

ISINGIRO

A team from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) concluded a successful 3-Day health camp at Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Isingiro District on Friday the 23^rd of May 2026.

During the outreach, which is part of our International Candlelight Memorial activities, the team supported health workers at Nakivale Health Centre III in providing a range of essential health services.

These services included general outpatient medical consultations and checkups, disease screening and counseling, maternal and child health services, treatment of minor illnesses and prescription of medication, public health education and information sharing and referrals to higher level facilities.

The 3-Day health camp in Nakivale Refugee settlement was part of the activities to commemorate the International Candle-Light in an effort to end AIDS by 2030.

OPM through the HIV/AIDS committee is conducting outreach activities to realise the target of ending AIDS by 2030.

According to Dr. Agrey Ngobi, the Vice Chairperson of the HIV/AIDS Committee at OPM, this outreach activity was part of the International candlelight memorial activities aimed at raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and promoting public health.

Ngobi said that Over 1,300 people were screened for HIV during the three days of the health camp and cases of other ailments were attended to including two emergency operations which turned out successfully.

“We have had a successful health camp in Nakivale and we served many Refugees and nationals although the numbers were overwhelming. In future we require more days and resources to attend to many others who were left behind,” said Ngobi.

Amos Mutungyi, the Assistant District Health Officer for Isingiro District lauded the Office of the Prime Minister for the health camp but appealed to the government to elevate Nakivale Health center III to a Health center IV to manage the high numbers.

“We are very grateful to the OPM for this initiative and we pray that more such health camps are organized to serve the people of Isingiro,” said Mutungyi.

Titus Jogo, the Regional Refugee Desk Officer for South Western Uganda in the Office of the Prime Minister, said that Nakivale Settlement currently has a population of 286,000 refugees in five zones of the camp and new arrivals are expected.

The Nakivale Health Center III also serves Ugandan nationals who are the host communities.

However, Jogo said that although the HIV Prevalence rate is 2.4% in the settlement there is fear that this could increase due to the changes in behavior and food rationing which is occasioned by budgetary cuts.

Paul Mushaho and Madina Ushuru leaders of the Refugee community commended the efforts of the Ugandan government through the Office of the Prime Minister for the services offered to them.

Nakivale Refugee Settlement is a sprawling, 71-square-mile camp in Uganda’s Isingiro District, established in 1958 and is considered one of the oldest Refugee Settlements in Africa.  Operating under Uganda’s progressive self-reliance model, the settlement hosts 286,000 refugees from the DRC, Burundi, Somalia, Rwanda, and Ethiopia who are provided land to farm and build shelters.

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