The Untold Heroine of Entebbe: The Nurse Who Answered the Call
ENTEBBE, Uganda — The 1976 Israeli raid on Entebbe Airport to rescue hostages from a hijacked Air France plane is etched in global memory as a feat of military daring, celebrated in films and books. Yet, nearly five decades later, a crucial chapter of that story remains largely untold: the quiet courage of Ugandan civilians who intervened. Among them is Edith Munube, a retired nurse whose act of compassion during the crisis defines a different kind of heroism.
In July 1976, as the world watched the hostage drama unfold, one of the captives, 74-year-old dual Israeli-British citizen Dora Bloch, fell seriously ill after choking on food. Isolated from the other hostages and in urgent need of medical care, her situation grew desperate.
It was then that Edith Munube, a disciplined and dedicated nurse at Entebbe Hospital, received an urgent call. Without hesitation, she rushed to the airport, provided critical first aid to Bloch in the ambulance, and ensured her safe transfer to Mulago Hospital in Kampala for further treatment.
“She was a professional, always ready for duty,” recalls a community member familiar with Munube’s service. “In that moment, she saw a patient in need, not a political crisis.”
Tragically, Bloch was later murdered by regime forces after the Israeli commandos rescued the main group of hostages. Munube’s intervention, however, stands as a profound gesture of humanity amid the chaos.
Now fondly known in Entebbe as “Mama Rotary” for her decades of community service through the Rotary Club, Munube, a trained nurse and designer, is remembered by her community as a “super-duper nurse”—full of compassion, wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to care.
“Not all heroes wear uniforms or appear in films,” notes a longtime Rotarian and friend. “Some wear white coats, serve quietly, and change lives forever.”
While history rightly remembers the soldiers of Operation Entebbe, the story of Edith Munube is a poignant reminder that heroism also wore a nurse’s cap, acted with quiet professionalism, and answered the call to preserve a single, precious life in a time of terror. Her legacy continues to inspire those in Entebbe who know that within their community walks a hidden heroine of history.
Edith “Mama Rotary” Munube, a retired nurse.
About The Author
