The MTN Foundation has over the years made several interventions in the health sector including the construction of the Lela Obaro II health centre in Gulu in partnership with Stanbic Bank and has provided material & financial contributions to a number of health projects causes including the annual Rotary Family Health Days initiative, Kisoro Hospital maternity ward drive, St Mary’s Lacor hospital cancer initiative, the Rotary Club Gift of Life heart institute, the AMREF Maternal health project and the Nakasero Hospital fistula initiative among others.
MTN has in the past also worked with government and community groups to assist in times of disaster. In 2013, MTN Uganda, through the MTN Uganda Foundation, gave an assortment of items to Kilembe Mines Hospital in Kasese as part of efforts to assist the area cope with the floods caused by the overflowing of river Nyamwamba that devastated the area following the heavy rains. The donation included 100 hospital beds, 100 mattresses, 100 blankets and 100 mosquito nets that were handed over to the then Minister of Health, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda behalf of the hospital. Other interventions have included the donation towards the landslide victims and Bududa which included among other items building of homes for the relocated families in Kiryandongo resettlement camp.
During the celebration of 20 years of operation in Uganda, MTN Uganda through its charity arm MTN Foundation renovated and furnished maternity wards in 8 health facilities with the main aim of improving access to quality maternal and neonatal health services in Aroi HC III Arua, Cwero HC III Gulu, Amach HC IV Lira, Naboa HC III Budaka, Kigorobya HC III, Kijura HC III and Kamukira HC IV Kabale.
In the mission to create brighter lives among children and youth born with physical disability, MTN Foundation signed a partnership between Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services Hospital and UMC Victoria Hospital to undertake corrective surgeries and treatment. The project reached out to 160 children and youth.
Following the increase in collection of blood in Uganda, the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services have a challenge of processing and storing the blood especially at regional level. MTN Foundation offered to purchase specialized refrigerators for regional blood banks in Arua, Mbale and Mbarara. The foundation also purchased a Blood Component Extractor that can process 2 blood plasma units at a go. This will go a long way to way of boosting the blood processing and subsequent transfusion to save lives of mothers and children in hospitals.
Ongoing Projects;
- Implementation of MTN Kampala Marathon Proceeds 2018 in partnership with Ministry of Health, UNFPA and Reproductive Health Uganda
- Access to Health Care Initiative-donation of maternal health related equipment
- Construction of specialized toilets for the patient community at Butabika National Referral Hospital