Medical access in India eased for Ugandans

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

Magnus MediTourism, Premium Medical Travel Facilitator based inMumbai, India has signed a franchisee agreement EquatorOne, a Ugandan tours & travel agency as its exclusive representative in Uganda

The partnership will allow Ugandan healthcare providers and patient’s alike, convenient access to alternative medical treatment at multiple hospitals across several Indian cities including tier 2 and tier 3 cities that are more affordable.

Magnus is one of the only 2 medical travel providers, accredited by the National Accreditation Board of Hospital and Healthcare (NABH) - the Quality Council of India.

(L-R) Mihir Vora, CEO Magnus MediTourism, a premium medical travel facilitator based in Mumbai- India  and Judith Sheenah Kyamutetera, General Manager EquatorOne, a Ugandan tours & travel agency, exchange copies of an MOU at the launch of Magnus Uganda. Magnus Uganda will operate under the Magnus MediTourism to provide Ugandan healthcare providers and patients alike, convenient access to alternative medical treatment at over 35,614 hospitals in India.

Magnus also has apartnership with some of India’s best Medicare providers such as: Apollo Hospitals, Fortis,Manipal Hospitals, Medanta Hospitals and Kokilaben Dirhubai Ambani etc. who boast of some of the world’s leading specialists in cancer care, urology, ophthalmology, gastroenterology,dentistry, ENT, orthopedic, among other medical specialized services.

 The agency will provide services that include; booking medical appointments at preferred hospitals, travel tickets, accommodation, transportation services, booking dining services, assistance with foreign exchange among other services while in India.

Speaking at the launch of the partnership at the Kampala Serena Hotel, Magnus MediTourism Founder and CEO, Mr Mihir Vora said;

“India is a credible global medical centre due to its advanced technology and highly specialized doctors. As a result we have seen a growth in the number of Ugandans seeking medical attention in India and we know the challenges one goes through when accessing services in a foreign country. This partnership is to enable Ugandans in need to easily access these services in a hustle free and secure environment so that they only concentrate on their recuperation.”she explained to the media in Kampala.

Mrs Judith Sheenah Kyamutetera, the Country Head of Magnus MediTourism Uganda and herself a cancer survivor said;

“I have been a beneficiary of Magnus services myself, having been diagnosed with breast Cancer in May 2016. Working with professional medical travel facilitators like Magnus eased on the pain and made the entire experience pleasant, which is why I decided to bring this service here so that other Ugandans may benefit from it,” she said.

According to the World Health Organization and Ministry of Health, diseases such as diabetes,cancers, cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks and strokes) are the second largest cause of mortality in Uganda, accounting for 34.6% of total deaths in 2015, and according to WHO’s Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) Country Profiles 2014, the probability of dying during the most productive years (ages 30-70) for Uganda from the 4 main NCDs is 21%.

In Africa and across developing countries, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer and diabetes pose an increasing threat. Current projections indicate that by 2020, the largest increases in deaths from NCDs will occur in Africa.

Due to the high costs incurred by patients in these developing countries, more people are opting to seek medical attention from more developed countries thus growing the medical tourism industry. This is mainly due to globalization and technology advancements across the globe.

Chinese Ambassador warns on illegal wildlife trade.

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

KAMPALA-UGANDA ----The Chinese Ambassador to Uganda Zheng Zhuqiang has called up on all Chinese Enterprises staffs operating in Uganda not to involve in any form of Illegal wildlife trade. But support the country in protecting its natural Biodiversity resources because its protection creates business opportunities to china as country.

“ I want to take this opportunity to call up on all Chinese   Enterprises staff operating  in Uganda to spontaneously boy cot relevant illegal   conducts in any form and  to make positive  contributions  to wild life  protection  as its in China where we value  a lot  Biodiversity “ The Ambassador cautioned his  Nationals during the meeting  on opportunities  and challenges  for the Chinese Enterprises to engage  in Biodiversity and Wildlife  Conservation in Uganda.

The Meeting which was jointly organized by the Chinese Enterprises chambers of Commerce in Uganda in partnership with Wildlife Conservation Society(WCS) in Kampala aimed at sharing the best Environmental protection mechanism which Chinese Enterprises can utilizes when executing their Enterprises without damaging the country, s Biodiversity.

Uganda is among the leading destination for Chinese’s Enterprises ranging from construction mineral exploration but on many occasion during their execution of their projects there’s has been an outcry by Environmentalists that Chinese Investor  are getting involved in illegal wildlife trade  especially in the Albertaine region where Oil and Gas exploration activities are taking place.

Zheng Zhuqiang observed  that most African Country’s, are home to rich Wildlife resources which provides source of revenue  in form of  attracting  both local, Regional and International  tourists  but  such resources  are disappearing  due to rampant poaching in the national parks  and other forms of biodiversity destruction thus the need for strong cooperation to eradicate poaching

L-R seated ( Dr Simon Nampindo the country  Director WCS , Christine  Akello Deputy Director NEMA , Dr Mary Goretti Kitutu state Minister for Environment and the Chinese Ambassador  to Uganda  Zheng  Zhuqiang  inneck tier  poses in picture with other members from the China  Enterprises  chambers  of Commerce  in Uganda. This was during meeting to discuss on enterprises  opportunities  available for the Chinese in the sector of  Biodiversity  conservation in Uganda 

. “We need to deepen International cooperation in wildlife protection. All countries must act together to fully implement the International convention against the trading in Endangered species of wild life such as Elephants, Fauna and flora. On addition to that there’s also need  for stepping up Law enforcement to combat Illegal trade in Wildlife  starting from the production stage  to trafficking then to selling chains  all should  be  covered by  Laws  and  the culprit  be subjected to Courts of Laws” The Ambassador advised.

Making key note  speech during the meeting , Uganda’s state  Minister  of state for Environment Dr Goretti  Kimono Kitutu said the Government is in the process of Coming up with new Environment Act which  will handle both the current  and the new Emerging  development activities which are now considered as dangerous to the country’s Biodiversity.

“We need new Law which caters for activities like sand mining  which is now reclusive business both to local and international investors sand extraction/ mining has greatly affected  the breading  zones for most biodiversity species such as fish , frogs and other reptiles thus affecting  many sectors in the economy such as Tourism , and fishing sector” she said

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 Dr.  Simon Nampindo   the country Director WCS in Uganda said more effort is required from Government to ensure that its Biodiversity is well protected for future generation. Nampindo said  that the country’s biodiversity is facing extinct due to  land use conversion  to agriculture , settlement  and  infrastructure  development , poaching  for bush meat  and Ivory.

According to Uganda Wildlife Authority, the country is loses great population of endangered species like Elephants to poachers for ivory this has impacted on the country’s tourism sector. Most of the counts, illegal ivory has been finding its market in most Asian Countries such as China, Malaysia among  other destinations 

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But on the good note recently the Government of chines announced total ban on the illegal trade of Ivory in their Country because the country treasures Biodiversity. The Chinese Ambassador t Uganda   Zheng Zhuqiang told East African Business Week that   china has built up a national wide wildlife protection regime based on combination of practical Laws policies and measures all those have helped in the conservation of the country’s Biodiversity resources..