Bwindi Community Hospital was founded in 2003 by Scott and Carol Kellermann, initially starting as an outreach hospital under a tree, supported by the Church of Uganda, specifically the Diocese of Kinkiizi.
The hospital began with a special mission to assist the Batwa pygmies, who were displaced from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest when it was designated a national park in 1991.
This displacement led the Batwa to experience poverty, homelessness, and health issues.
The hospital has an average capacity of over 155 beds and handles more than 40,000 consultations annually.
It offers both preventative and curative services to over 120,000 people, with its specialized services benefiting communities nationwide.
Services Offered
- Outpatient and inpatient services
- Child health
- Maternal health
- Community health and Batwa care
- Dental and eye healthcare
- Diagnosis and laboratory services
- Mental health services
- Accident and emergency services
- Chronic care
- Ambulance services
- Youth-friendly services
- E-Quality health insurance
- HIV/AIDS and TB care
The hospital also provides training through the Uganda Nursing School Bwindi and Uganda College of Health Sciences Bwindi.
Impact and Achievements
Bwindi Community Hospital has significantly improved the standard of living in the surrounding communities and has earned numerous accolades over the past ten years as one of the best-performing health facilities in Uganda, as recognized by the Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau:
- 2011: Awarded the Stars Foundation (UK) Health Impact Award for Africa and the Middle East Region for improving child health.
- 2013: Received the Public Opinion Pearl of Africa Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.
- 2014: Honored with the Mama Alive Initiative Award (Uganda) for improving maternal health in the region.
- 2017: Winner of the Uganda Sustainable Development Award from Public Opinions.
- 2017: Received the Grand Challenge Canada Innovation Award for using digital and mobile technology to create an affordable, community-rooted health service in poor, remote areas.
- 2018: Won the Social Innovation in Health Initiative Award from Makerere University School of Public Health for pioneering the Mothers’ Waiting Hostel, an affordable and sustainable innovation to improve facility deliveries in Uganda.
- 2018: Awarded the UPMB Award for leading innovation and the use of technology in nursing education in Uganda.
- 2018: Awarded the UPMB Award for innovatively growing Community Health Insurance, overall best performer in timely submission of quality reports, and good monitoring and evaluation practices.
- 2021: Awarded the Prince Albert II of Monaco Prize for Innovative Philanthropy in recognition of the exceptional work carried out by Bwindi Community Hospital to provide access to healthcare for the poorest communities.
Bwindi Community Hospital is a vibrant contributor to improving health and raising the standard of living in Uganda, playing a vital role in transforming the lives of those in remote areas.
