Bwindi Community Hospital; is a true testament to the transformative power of healthcare. Founded in 2003 by Scott and Carol Kellermann, this hospital began as an outreach clinic under a tree and has now become a 112-bed hospital that serves over 100,000 people in Uganda. The hospital’s mission was to help the Batwa pygmies, who were displaced from the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest after it was made a National Park in 1991. The hospital was set up to provide healthcare and health education services to these people, who had been living in extreme poverty and were affected by various health issues.
Bwindi Community Hospital has come a long way since then, and today, it is a beacon of hope for the entire region. It is heartening to note that the hospital now serves people from all walks of life, regardless of their background or ethnicity. Despite being located in a remote area, Bwindi Community Hospital has become a hub for medical attention and has upgraded its status from a health centre to a hospital in 2008 after building a new operating theatre.
The hospital staff comprises a team of 150 doctors, nurses, midwives, other health workers, and support staff, with 70% of them coming from within the hospital’s catchment area. The hospital offers a wide range of medical services, including surgeries, admissions on adult and children’s wards, and HIV testing. It is commendable that the hospital has achieved a 97% success rate in treating patients with TB.
Bwindi Community Hospital has become a lifeline for people living in the South Western corner of Uganda, offering much-needed healthcare, education, and outreach programs. The hospital has gone beyond its initial mission and has become a beacon of hope and change for the entire region.
