Soroti, Uganda | Soroti City Health Officer (CHO), Dr. Alfred Anyonga, has called on the Ministry of Health to provide more support to Clinison Medical Centre, praising the facility for its professionalism, consistent reporting, and contribution to healthcare delivery in Eastern Uganda.
Dr. Anyonga revealed this during the eye screening launch drive at Clinison Medical Centre on 27-9-2025 at the facility premises in Owalei, Opuyo, Soroti City, under the theme “Protect Your Sight, Test Regularly.”
He noted that at the end of every reporting cycle, Clinison submits comprehensive data on mothers attended and babies immunised.
These reports convince him to take the case to the ministry and advocate for more government support for the facility.
He described Clinison as a trusted healthcare partner.
Although a private facility, Clinison has been authorised to provide services beyond eye care, including child vaccinations, maternity, and antenatal care.
The CHO highlighted that the centre has been shortlisted to benefit from government-provided vaccines, enabling babies delivered at the facility to access immunisation free of charge.
He also commended the facility’s registered practitioners, noting that their professionalism reassures patients of safe and quality care.
Dr. Anyonga encouraged Clinison to broaden its services in line with Uganda’s integrated healthcare model, observing that a specialist today may still have to assist a mother in labour tomorrow.
Clinison CEO, Dr. Jane Agwaru, welcomed guests and stressed the importance of regular eye tests in preventing blindness and complications linked to diabetes and hypertension.
She noted that many people seek eye care only after symptoms appear, often too late.
With over 1.4 million people in Uganda suffering from preventable vision impairment or blindness due to conditions such as cataracts, Clinison aims to screen at least 10,000 people by 2030.
She further highlighted partnerships with transport companies to test drivers’ vision, pointing out that poor eyesight contributes to road accidents, and reported that the facility will extend the visual field testing to over 180 drivers from Kakise, YY Bus Companies and other transport service providers in Teso Sub region.
Clinison Chief Operations Officer, Jimmy Julius Mubiri, said the launch marked a milestone in the centre’s efforts to improve eye health.
He explained that the initiative seeks to educate the community and encourage regular eye checks even in the absence of symptoms.
Mubiri called on residents to participate in awareness campaigns, emphasizing the campaign’s theme of protecting sight through regular testing.
Soroti District Health Inspector, Ekodeu Emmanuel, welcomed the programme, noting that residents previously had to travel as far as Tororo for eye care services.
He described the initiative as a privilege for the Teso region and urged the community to embrace the services while promoting education in the sciences to enable more such initiatives.
The launch reinforces Clinison’s role as a private health facility complementing government efforts in maternal health, immunisation, and now eye care across Eastern Uganda.