Some details on Dr Sarah Namulondo

The Observer Media Ltd with deep sorrow announces the untimely death of Dr Sarah Namulondo - one of its founding members.

At the time of her death, Dr. Sarah Namulondo was working as the Associate Editor of The Observer.

There will be a vigil tonight at Ngango after Kalule on Bombo road and burial tomorrow at 2pm.

Namulondo’s life, death

Sarah cut her teeth in journalism at The [Daily] Monitor which she joined in 1997. She worked as sub editor during most of her time at The [Daily] Monitor until 2004 when she left the company. She then joined hands with Kevin Aliro (RIP), James Tumusiime, Ssemujju Ibrahim Nganda, Carolyne Nakazibwe, Hassan Badru Zziwa, Linda Nabusayi, Fideri Kirungi, Elizabeth Kameo and Abby Mukiibi to found The [Weekly] Observer in March 2004.

This team was shortly after joined by Pius Katunzi who was returning from studies abroad. However, soon after Sarah left to pursue doctoral studies in Tampa, Florida, where she stayed for six years, returning in 2010 to rejoin The Observer and also resume her teaching duties at Makerere University (Mass Communication and Literature).

She started complaining about intense abdominal pain last year and in October she was hospitalized at IHK. Here, she was operated upon to remove gall stones as it was believed they were the cause of her pain. However, her pain didn’t go away in the aftermath of that operation.

After a series of medical tests, the kidney was identified as the new source of her pain. Doctors conducted a procedure in which a stent was placed inside her body to address the kidney problem. The procedure was declared a success but hours later, the pain resumed.

Now confused, the doctors decided to undertake another operation to correct a problem with her appendix and to also establish the source of the excruciating pain. Their feedback was that Sarah had a blood clot in her small intestine, so treatment for that began and we also thought this was the beginning of the end of her pain.

But the healing we all expected was not to be, as Sarah later developed a liver infection and on Sunday evening she lost the battle. By this time she had been to IHK, Nakasero Hospital, Kibuli Hospital (twice) and Mulago Hospital (where she died) and seen some of the country’s best consultants.

Still, not many answers were forthcoming. Perhaps the post mortem which was conducted at the hospital’s request on Monday morning will go in some way to solve the puzzle of Sarah’s death.

May her soul rest in peace.