By Michael Odeng
The late Gen. Elly Tumwine has been described as a patriot leader, even in sickness.
Tumwine succumbed to lung cancer at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya on August 25.
Dr. Abrahams Omoding, a consultant oncologist at the Uganda Cancer Institute, told mourners at a vigil at the late’s residence in Nakasero, Kampala, on Sunday (August 28) evening that in his career, he has never seen a senior citizen who did not want to receive treatment out of the country.
“General was a patriotic man. It took us great effort to take him out of the country. He wanted to be treated in Uganda by Ugandan doctors. We have not seen such a senior citizen who was not willing to go out of the country for treatment,” Omoding said.
Tumwine was airlifted to Nairobi two weeks ago when he developed bowel complications.
“Although he was responding well to treatment, in July 2022, he developed a complication of passing urine. When we re-evaluated him, we discovered that we were dealing with a progressive disease,” Omoding said.
He said when Tumwine developed a bowel complication, they agreed in principle to change his treatment given that he was becoming weak.
“We began him on treatment, but his situation was deteriorating, so we invited gastrointestinal surgeons from Mulago Hospital. Despite our efforts, the situation was worsening, until we decided to airlift him to Nairobi Hospital. Two days after his arrival, he got a kidney failure and infections,” Omoding said.
On his arrival in Nairobi, Tumwine was received by a Ugandan doctor, who treated him till he breathed his last.
