As part of the festivities marking the Kabaka of Buganda’s 64thbirthday, the Wakiso District Volleyball Association in conjunction with UMC Victoria Hospitalis organizing a volleyball tournament dubbed the Kabaka Birthday Volleyball Festival. The tournament aimed at increasing Sickle Cell Awareness will kick off on 6th March until 8th March, 2018 at the Lugogo MTN Arena.The Kabaka Birthday Volleyball Festival will be graced by His Highness the Kabaka of Buganda.
Over 20,000 babies are born with Sickle Cell disease in Uganda, many of whom die before the age of 13. While many tend to ignore the pain & suffering Sickle Cell disease brings, it goes without saying that early detection and subsequent management of the disease go a long way in addressing the Sickle Cell disease scourge in Uganda. This therefore underlines the urgent need to spread awareness of the disease.
The Chief Organizer of the Kabaka Birthday Volleyball Festival Mr. Eddie Okila, who is also the Chairman of the Wakiso District Association, is upbeat about the tournament. He revealed that the participants stand a chance to win prestigious trophies and cash prizes. “Judging from last year and the response we have already gotten this year, the competition is going to be tight and we are of course glad that the His Highness the Kabaka of Buganda will be in attendance.
This will be the second edition of the Kabaka Birthday Volleyball Festival following a largely successful inaugural edition last year which attracted a total of 50 teams. The festival is a mixed gender in-door & out-door tournament that attracts participants from various categories which include primary and secondary schools in the schools category, volleyball clubs and corporate teams in the senior category.
“We have to do all we can to reduce the mortality rate brought about by Sickle Cells disease in Uganda. We know that Ugandans are generally sporty in nature. We therefore believe that passing on this message through sports, volleyball in particularwill be an effective way of spreading awareness” Dr. Anurag Shah (Managing Director of UMC Victoria Hospital) said. “We wish His Highness, the Kabaka of Buganda a Happy Birthday” he added. He also urged all relevant stakeholders in the health sectorto partake in this responsibility to achieve a healthier Uganda and Africa at large.
Mr. Dennis Twambale, the Business Development Manager of UMC Victoria Hospital said that the hospital will be taking charge of the health aspect of the tournament by providing stand-by ambulances complete with medics and other facilities to ensure the games go on smoothly. He also added that throughout the Kabaka Birthday Volleyball Festival, UMC Victoria Hospital will be offering Sickle Cell screening at a heavily subsidized price at their ultra-modern hospital in Bukoto.