The Busoga Kingdom has lauded the Kabukye Trust for its pioneering efforts in combating Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and promoting healthcare access, particularly with the recent launch of the Bright Life Medical Center’s ‘Sugarwise Warriors Diabetes Care’ in Kabukye, Kamuli Municipality. The Kingdom underscored the urgent need to transition from curative to preventive medicine as NCDs become increasingly prevalent.
During the launch event, Busoga Kingdom Prime Minister Joseph Muvawala highlighted the alarming trend of changing disease profiles, with NCDs now taking center stage in the region. He emphasized that the Kingdom and government must support innovative healthcare models to reduce the growing disease burden.
“Our lifestyles and eating habits make us prone to many silent diseases coupled with the fact that we are lazy to seek medical checkup. It is imperative that we shift from curative to preventive medicine and practices to ease the disease burden,” Muvawala challenged the attendees.
He urged Kabukye Trust to pilot a school-based diabetes campaign, focusing on rural areas, self-management, and education. This initiative, he said, should aim to reach all children, ensuring they are sensitized, tested, and can access early preventive treatment and care.
Muvawala also encouraged the Trust to partner with Busoga Kingdom and the National Population Authority to harness technology and promote home-based care for diabetes patients.
“Your vision, mission, and goal resonate in line with the Busoga Anthem call to fight poverty, disease, and ignorance and working towards a healthier community and population,” Muvawala stated, pledging the Kingdom’s support.
“The Kingdom has found a ready, expertise, and willing partner for healthcare. The national Population Programs are equally another partner, so let us popularize this Program and let it reach communities and schools.”
Adding a poignant personal dimension, Margaret Kazungu, a Board Member of Kabukye Trust, shared her experience caring for her late diabetic husband, Dr. David Kazungu. She advocated for improved motivation for healthier behaviors, transformed patients’ self-efficacy, and crucially, “a buy-in for a coordinated approach to diabetes prevention and care in rural Uganda.”
Kazungu revealed that the Medical Center stands as a tribute to Dr. Kazungu’s legacy, a “gift to all children and Sugarwise Warriors.” She expressed a larger dream to develop the facility into a modern rural access point for Diabetes, Sickle Cell, and High Blood Pressure patients.
She also counselled the importance of a vegetable-rich diet, light suppers, and regular exercise for a healthier life. The facility, which has already managed 52 children with diabetes, offers Essential Care, Enhanced Care, and Premium Care packages customized to affordability.
Allan Kiwanuka, CEO of Kabukye Trust, outlined the charity’s expansive vision, emphasizing its core values of evidence-based innovations, client-centered swift action, excellence, and sustainable impact.
“We initially started with the Happy Mathematics Development Hub before taking on The Targeted Learning Difference, Diabetes Care, Sickle Cell Disease, Skin Neglected Tropical Diseases (Leprosy), and creating stronger futures uninterrupted- Preventing Child Sexual Abuse,” Kiwanuka revealed, showcasing the Trust’s diverse commitment to community well-being.
He acknowledged the crucial support from partners including Type 1 Diabetes Community Fund Guernsey, Overseas Aid Committee, Allan & Nesta Ferguson Education Opportunity Fund, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Faroe Island, all of which are coordinated and implemented by the Kazungu Family Kabukye Trust in Uganda.
Highlighting the urgency of their mission, Kiwanuka presented startling figures on diabetes prevalence. According to the IDF Diabetes Atlas, 369,000 adults (20–79) are living with diabetes in Uganda in 2024, with 46,000 in Busoga alone.
These numbers are projected to rise to 1.2 million by 2050, a trajectory he believes can be contained through timely and accurate screening, well-contextualized nutrition, education, exercise, diet, and self-management.
Kiwanuka detailed the challenges: “The problem is that adults fear high costs, struggle with management, and face severe complications. The children miss school, often ill, and dying too young, while the at-risk groups lack knowledge and skills to prevent diabetes and live healthy. Worse still, mothers have limited access to screening and support, risking their own health and their babies.”
To tackle this, Kabukye Trust has developed specialized ‘Sugarwise’ teams: Sugarwise Starlets for children living with diabetes, Sugarwise Warriors for adults, Sugarwise Pathfinders for those at risk, Sugarwise Queens for pregnant mothers with gestational diabetes, and Sugarwise Angels for health workers and care companions at home.
The collaboration between Busoga Kingdom and Kabukye Trust represents a significant step towards a healthier future for the region, prioritizing proactive health management and community empowerment in the face of rising NCD challenges.
