Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) has handed over the body of a 41-year-old Rwandan woman who died at the facility earlier this month, ending more than a week of uncertainty over her identity and family.
The deceased, identified as Charlene Ingabire, was handed over to the Rwandan Embassy after hospital management established contact with Rwandan authorities, who subsequently traced her relatives.
Ingabire, a resident of Fumbwe in Rwamagana District, died on November 2, 2026, at about 10:40am while receiving treatment in the hospital’s Internal Medicine Department.
Hospital spokesperson Halson Kagure said Ingabire had been receiving medical attention at the facility for several weeks before her condition deteriorated.
Her circumstances of arrival at the hospital had initially raised questions, as she was brought in by an unidentified individual without a caretaker or known relatives.
According to Kagure, the hospital took responsibility for her treatment, providing emergency care before transferring her to the medical ward for continued management.
Despite efforts by medical workers to stabilise her condition, Ingabire died following unsuccessful resuscitation attempts.
Kagure said hospital management, led by Acting Senior Executive Consultant Dr Deus Twesigye and his deputy, Dr Francis Oriokot, subsequently mobilised their networks to establish contact with Rwandan authorities through the country’s embassy in Uganda.
The diplomatic intervention enabled authorities to establish her place of residence and trace her family, paving the way for the repatriation of her remains.
The body was handed over to the Rwandan Embassy on Sunday afternoon and is expected to be transported to Fumbwe, Rwamagana District, where she will be laid to rest.
Travel documents bearing immigration stamps from both Uganda and Rwanda at the Mirama Hills border post indicate that Ingabire entered Uganda in 2024.
However, the nature of her activities in Uganda and the circumstances that led to her admission at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital remain unclear.
Hospital management said the incident underscores the importance of maintaining communication between healthcare institutions, patients and their families, particularly in cases involving people who seek treatment away from their home countries.
MRRH, which serves patients from Uganda and neighbouring countries because of its specialised services, said it remains committed to strengthening cross-border communication and coordination beyond the provision of medical care.
Kagure commended the diplomatic relations between Uganda and Rwanda, particularly the swift intervention by Rwandan authorities in tracing Ingabire’s relatives and facilitating the return of her remains.
Ingabire was a mother of three.
