Sickle cell, cancer patients find relief in Indo-Ugandan medical partnership

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Ugandan patients battling life-threatening medical challenges, including cancer and sickle cell diseases, are on the brink of relief after a Ugandan medical entity partnered with an Indian-based global healthcare provider.

After a tear-jerking 10-minute confession from a heartbroken Ugandan father (name withheld), who has for several months been struggling with his son and daughter, both diagnosed with sickle cell disease, he was given a ray of hope when he listened to two gripping testimonies of two transformed Ugandan families that overcame similar predicaments.

Nasser Matovu, who is an insurer and parent of Kisakye, who suffered from one of the ailments, testified about the transformation his three-year-old daughter underwent when they travelled to India for a life-changing medical procedure.

“My daughter was born prematurely at six months, but Kisakye suddenly developed a malaria-induced kidney injury at the age of three years,” Matovu narrated.

He made this revelation on Friday, August 1, 2025, during the inauguration of Fortis Information Centre Uganda at Merita Health, Bugolobi in Kampala city.

Fortis Hospital India and Merita Health Uganda staff take a group picture during the grand inauguration of Fortis Information Centre at Merita Health in Bugolobi Kampala on Thursday 31 July 2025. (Photo by Colleb Mugume)

Matovu spoke of how this predicament left him without a solution until a former classmate, now based in Trinidad and Tobago, advised him to try a service provider in India after attempts in Uganda had failed.

“She underwent dialysis sessions, and she was the smallest girl at Mulago [National Referral] Hospital, and every other hospital we went to in Uganda. People knew her, those who were going for dialysis sessions. We didn't know what was next, whether the thing could take her life. So, we did dialysis for four years,” he recalled.

In his testimony, he had exhausted all options when a Good Samaritan, Kaluya, donated shillings nine million; he later topped it up with more fundraising and eventually met an Indian service provider that simplified his predicament. Dushyant Magu was the man Matovu lauded for saving his daughter’s life.

“We had good support from the Indian High Commission [in Uganda]. The day we went is the day we received our visas. Imagine! So, we got the money. But it was not enough. However, Dushyant did something which I had never expected,” he recalled with a grin on his face.

Matovu noted that upon his arrival in India, Magu connected him to people who gave him more money. In rupees.

“The money was topped up and the transplant was done,” he explained. According to Matovu, his daughter is reformed and full of life and is pursuing her studies in Primary Three.

A similar tale of transformation came from Sarah Kalyango, a mother of a young boy (name withheld) who also experienced a life-changing medical procedure after he travelled to India.

Shagufta Kamran, the country manager who is in charge of North and East Africa at Fortis Hospitals India, said this centre is going to work as a filter, as a screening centre, wherein we'll have a proper standard operating procedure where we will ensure that any patient who needs to travel to Fortis or India is not misguided.

She emphasised that this centre will ensure that Ugandans get the right information instead of travelling to India, even if it is not required.

“Our team is going to ensure that you don't have to go through all the hassle that patients normally have been going through,” Kamran said.

Medical visas are available

The event was graced by the Indian High Commission in Uganda, second secretary (political & commerce) Jitender Singh Negi, who was the guest of honour. Negi said Uganda should tap into such international options to ease medical challenges with specialised medical experts.

“We are sure that this partnership will benefit the Ugandan nationals because as of now, there are many Ugandan citizens who go to India and many other countries for specialised treatment, but this centre in future it will provide such services at a much cheaper cost because travelling to foreign countries staying there is sometimes costlier so we are very happy and we will support this partnership,” Singh said.

He said the Indian embassy now offers e-medical visas, which can be acquired within 24 hours.

A 10-year dream

Dushyrant Magu, the chief executive officer at MedSurge India, a global leader in healthcare assistance and a unit of NSM Online Solutions Pvt Ltd, said his team has been building and nurturing this dream for 10 years, having started this journey in 2015 when they came to Uganda for the first time.

“And we did our first health awareness and sickle cell awareness camp along with our respected doctors. That was the first time we started nurturing this dream to have a centre here with the reputed hospital, which is Fortis Hospital. As this dream is becoming into reality today,” Magu told New Vision Online.

Merita Health was founded by Europe-based Ugandan Dr Jimmy Sempewo. He is also the founder of Merita Organ Transplant Foundation and chairperson of Henely Educational Group.

Sempewo’s father, Solomon Semanda, also attended the event and lauded his son for his entrepreneurial skills, which are beginning to bear fruit on the international stage with such medical breakthroughs.

Jackie Katana, the founder of Faith for Family Health Initiative, commended the initiative. Katana represented civil society in Uganda for reproductive health.

Katana noted that many Ugandans have been struggling to find health services across the globe, and it takes a lot of time to get to know where to find the services.

While Reni Vij, the head of International Sales at Fortis Hospitals India, who takes care of international alliances, international tie-ups for Fortis Hospital, said they have invested significant resources in updating their medical technology.

"We have got new machines. Some of the machines are the first in South Asia. Some of the machines are the first in India. You have to keep growing. It's medicine. Neurosciences, we treat tumours, neurology, paediatric neurosurgery, DBS,” she told this publication.