Prominent businessman and KIU founder Hassan Bassajabalaba has shared a deeply emotional account of his mother’s final days, revealing that he was willing to pay up to Shs10 billion to secure a heart transplant for her while she was undergoing treatment in Germany.
Speaking during her burial on Sunday, Bassajabalaba said he pleaded with German specialists to help him find a donor heart as her condition worsened. He recalled offering between €1 million and €2 million to secure the organ.
“I told them I can give you 1 million euros, let us get the heart. Even 2 million euros. I told them I can double the money. The professor looked at me and asked if I could pay 2 million euros for an 86 year old mother. I said yes,” he said.
He added that he even suggested moving her to Cologne if it meant increasing her chances of getting a transplant.
Doctors later told him that Germany does not allow any form of private organ purchase. They also explained that patients above 80 years old are not eligible for heart transplants under their strict national regulations.
Millions Spent on Treatment Abroad
Bassajabalaba said his mother went through years of treatment across several countries. The family made more than 20 medical trips, including:
- 10 trips to Germany
- 5 trips to the United Kingdom
- 5 trips to South Africa
He noted that each trip cost no less than €220,000, bringing the total medical bill to about US$6 million.
“When you add up the money, it is roughly 6 million dollars. You see that a common man cannot afford it,” he said.
Push for National Health Insurance
The businessman urged government to fast track the national health insurance scheme. He said such a move would protect elderly people, children, expectant mothers, and low income earners from the crushing costs of major illnesses.
He pointed to countries like Germany and Tanzania where citizens receive free or heavily subsidized healthcare. He argued that Uganda needs to follow the same path.
“In Uganda, we are all like villagers. There is no serious country without medical insurance. If my mother had insurance, I would have paid only about 40 percent of that cost,” he said.
Public Backlash
His remarks have sparked criticism on social media. Many Ugandans accused him of benefiting from state resources while the public health system struggles with underfunding.
One user, Anthony Natif, wrote that leaders cannot expect a strong health sector when powerful individuals allegedly misuse government money.
Bassajabalaba has been linked to several past financial controversies involving government compensation and public land, and his comments have reignited public debate over accountability and Uganda’s strained healthcare system.
