Stanbic Bank Uganda has concluded its annual October LOVE Month activities with a donation of medical equipment and supplies worth UGX 81 million to Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital.
The donation reaffirms the bank’s commitment to supporting the Ministry of Health in strengthening healthcare delivery as an essential part of community wellbeing. The equipment is expected to improve the hospital’s capacity to provide maternal, newborn and other essential healthcare services.
The items included hospital beds, a fetoscope, three infant radiant warmers, two syringe pumps, a phototherapy unit, an infusion pump, five Kangaroo Mother Care (10 KMC) chairs, five baby cots, three Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) systems and 100 Mama Kits.
Paul Muganwa, the Stanbic Bank Uganda Executive Director and Head of Corporate and Investment Banking handed over the consignment in the presence of Dr Richard Mugahi, the Commissioner for Reproductive Health at the Ministry of Health who also represented the Minister of Health, Dr Chris Baryomunsi.
Muganwa said the contribution reflected Stanbic’s belief that business growth must go hand in hand with the wellbeing of the communities it serves.
“At Stanbic, our purpose is clear: ‘Uganda is our Home, We Drive Her Growth.’ This is more than a statement. It is a commitment to contribute to Uganda’s social and economic transformation, stand alongside our communities and invest in the conditions that allow individuals, families and businesses to thrive,” he said.
He said the donation was part of the bank’s broader commitment to supporting healthcare delivery, particularly maternal and child health, adding that a healthy population was fundamental to a productive economy.
“As we conclude our October LOVE Month activities, we are reminded that love is best demonstrated through action. It is reflected in the support we extend to those in need, the partnerships we build and the investments we make in the wellbeing of our communities,” Muganwa said.
The contribution also builds on Stanbic’s previous support to the hospital. In February this year, and in partnership with Entebbe Golf Club, the bank donated medical equipment and consumables worth UGX 50 million to the hospital’s maternity wing.
Under the partnership, 10 per cent of green fees generated from Stanbic-sponsored golfing activities at Entebbe Golf Course are set aside for community initiatives in Entebbe.
“Eight months later, we are back with another contribution worth UGX 81 million. Our return is deliberate. Entebbe is home to one of Stanbic Bank’s longstanding branches, and this community remains an important part of our story,” Muganwa said.
Government calls for stronger healthcare partnerships
Delivering remarks on behalf of Dr Baryomunsi, Dr Mugahi said Uganda’s development ambitions depended not only on infrastructure, investment and enterprise, but also on the health and productivity of its people.
He said the government continues to prioritise access to quality, affordable and equitable healthcare through strengthening primary healthcare, improving the availability of essential medicines and medical supplies, investing in health infrastructure and equipment, and developing the health workforce.
He also emphasised the need to improve maternal, newborn and child health services, disease prevention, early diagnosis, emergency response and referral systems.
These priorities, he said, were essential to achieving universal health coverage and ensuring that access to healthcare was not determined by a person’s location or economic circumstances.
However, Dr Mugahi said the government could not address the health sector’s challenges alone, and called for stronger collaboration with private sector players and other stakeholders.
He welcomed Stanbic’s contribution and urged the hospital management to ensure that the equipment addressed priority needs and translated into tangible improvements in patient care.
Hospital reports growing demand for maternal and newborn services
The hospital’s Executive Consultant, John Bosco Nsubuga, said the donation came at a time when the facility was experiencing increasing demand for maternal and newborn healthcare services.
Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital serves five districts under the Entebbe Health Region: Wakiso, Mpigi, Butambala, Gomba and Nakasongola. The facility provides clinical services, training and research.
Nsubuga said approximately 14,000 mothers access antenatal services at the hospital annually, while deliveries increased from about 4,700 in 2004 to 6,800 in the financial year that ended in June this year.
The hospital also admits approximately 1,800 newborns annually to its neonatal unit, with a reported survival rate of nearly 99 per cent.
He said the increasing number of referrals and growing confidence in the hospital’s services had placed pressure on the neonatal unit, which has an official capacity of 14 beds but sometimes accommodates as many as 40 babies. Its bed occupancy rate currently stands at approximately 164 per cent.
The hospital is working to acquire additional equipment and expand its neonatal care facilities. Nsubuga said the Ministry of Health also plans to construct a larger inpatient block, with one floor dedicated to neonatal services and an anticipated capacity of approximately 50 beds.
Dr Kigongo Haruna, Deputy Resident District Commissioner for Entebbe Municipality, welcomed Stanbic’s contribution, noting that partnerships with private sector institutions were important in complementing government efforts, particularly as public hospitals provide services free of charge.
Stanbic’s wider investment in healthcare
The Entebbe donation forms part of Stanbic’s wider healthcare interventions across Uganda. Muganwa revealed that the bank had invested approximately UGX 1.382 billion in healthcare initiatives this year, reaching 15 health facilities across the Northern, West Nile, Eastern, Western and Central regions.
Muganwa said the investments were aligned with Stanbic’s Positive Impact Agenda, which focuses on financial inclusion, enterprise development and job creation, infrastructure investment, climate resilience financing and corporate social investment.
Maternal health remains a key area of focus, with Stanbic distributing 2,750 Mama Kits valued at approximately UGX 96.5 million to expectant mothers. Other interventions include menstrual hygiene support for secondary school students, maternal and child health initiatives, support towards cancer treatment and care, and the provision of medical equipment to health facilities.
The supported facilities comprise 10 Health Centre IVs, one Health Centre III and four hospitals. The bank has also supported eight medical camps to extend healthcare outreach and improve access to medical services.
As Stanbic marks 35 years of operations in Uganda under Standard Bank Group, the bank says it remains committed to initiatives that improve lives, strengthen communities and contribute to inclusive national growth.
The October Love Month campaign is part of the bank’s annual customer appreciation and community outreach programme, through which it celebrates customers, strengthens relationships and gives back to the communities in which it operates.
