By The Guardian UK | Global Health & Human Stories
Beloved television duo Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have quietly funded the full operation of four mobile medical clinics across rural Uganda — an ambitious humanitarian project offering free health care access to thousands. But what’s catching global attention isn’t just their generosity — it’s the one unique condition patients must agree to in order to be treated.
🩺 Health on Wheels: A Lifeline for Remote Villages
Each mobile clinic, designed like a self-sufficient hospital van, includes:
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A doctor, nurse, and local interpreter
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Solar-powered refrigeration for vaccines and insulin
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Basic diagnostic tools and maternal care supplies
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A confidential reporting system for gender-based violence
The clinics are equipped to reach communities up to 120 km from the nearest hospital — some of which have never had access to organised health care before.
The cost? Roughly £620,000, fully covered by Ant & Dec through their private charitable trust.
🤝 The One Condition: “Give Forward, Not Back”
In a surprising but thoughtful twist, the TV presenters asked that all who receive treatment agree to perform one act of service for someone else in their village within 7 days — a condition now being referred to locally as the “Chain of Kindness Pact.”
“It could be helping an elder carry water, planting a shared garden, or simply walking someone safely home at night,” said a Ugandan team coordinator.
“It’s not about repayment. It’s about passing on dignity.”
The initiative has sparked over 6,000 documented acts of kindness in just six weeks — and has inspired neighbouring districts to copy the model.
💬 Quietly Done, Profoundly Felt
McPartlin and Donnelly reportedly visited Uganda in late 2024 on a private research trip, speaking with community health leaders and school administrators.
“They didn’t want cameras. They asked to meet people, not politicians,” said a member of the team from Kampala.
“They cried in more than one clinic.”
The pair have made no formal announcement about the donation — but word spread after a Ugandan journalist published a local radio segment titled “The British Stars Who Brought Our Mothers a Doctor.”
🌍 Community Impact
In just two months, the clinics have:
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Delivered over 800 childhood vaccines
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Diagnosed 212 cases of malaria
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Facilitated 17 emergency pregnancy transfers
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And most importantly: trained local youth to become health volunteers
🗣️ Global Response
Social media has reacted with admiration:
“They didn’t make a show of it. They made a difference.”
“From Saturday night TV to saving lives in Uganda? This is the legacy that matters.”
📌 What Comes Next?
Insiders say Ant & Dec are exploring a 2026 expansion, including a fifth clinic focused on mental health and trauma support in refugee communities. They’ve reportedly committed to personally funding the training of 10 local nurses under the same kindness-driven model.
In a world where many celebrity acts feel curated for headlines, McPartlin and Donnelly have shown something different — the power of compassion on wheels, one heartbeat, one village, one kind act at a time.