It’s Not Part Of Ruparelia Group- Sudhir Ruparelia Dismisses Rumours Of Owning Bukoto-Based UMC Victoria Hospital
By Uganda Online Media
Kampala: Ruparelia Group has dismissed the recent media reports that the Bukoto-based UMC Victoria Hospital belongs to city tycoon Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia.
The false reports started making rounds on social media after Victoria Hospital was awarded a contract as the only facility to conduct body organ examinations of all Ugandans travelling abroad for work, especially to Middle East countries.
Last week the government of Uganda through the ministry of internal affairs announced mandatory body organ testing for all Ugandans travelling abroad for work and those returning home following reports of escalating organ trade which had been on the rise recently.
According to the letter from Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja to all immigration officers, all Ugandans travelling to Gulf Cooperation Council for employment will have to undergo a mandatory check for internal organs and trauma injuries before leaving the country and on landing at the airport.
“As you are all aware there have been numerous instances of accusation of organ trafficking or physical abuse which may or may not be true. However, Uganda risks losing the labour export business opportunity if these accusations continue. The stories of Ugandan migrant workers coming back with missing organs and having been subjected to physical abuse are of grave concern to the government of Uganda. Therefore, the primary aim of government is to ensure the safety of its citizens working abroad,” reads part of the letter.
Nabbanja further noted that the Internal Affairs Ministry would be mandated to set up an authorized centre to do the checkups at Bukoto at the premises of UMC Victoria Hospital.
“This unit shall be responsible for the tests as well as yellow fever vaccination. The processes and charges for this shall be strictly governed and regulated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs,” Nabbanja said in her letter.
However, according to the Ruparelia group, the said Hospital has never been one of their companies and they have no idea about the motive of such ‘concoctions’ connecting it to the company.
”Our attention has been drawn by several online media publications linking the above business entity to the Ruparelia group of companies. For clarity, the above-mentioned business entity is not part of Ruparelia group of companies, and has never been,” Ruparelia group said in a statement issued on Sunday.
”We appreciate the media for bringing this to our attention, but we also urge them to always verify the information before writing. In this case, the correct information about the ownership of Victoria Hospital could have been sought from Uganda registration services Bureau (URSB),” the statement added.