Reverend Father Charles Ssebalamu, the Parish Priest of St Steven’s Parish based in the United States of America says, the support has come in the form of charity, sourced from his foreign friends who accepted to corroborate with Masaka Diocesan Health Department to attend to some of the local medical conditions in the area.
Reverend Father Charles Ssebalamu and Dr Charles Smith from Montero Medical Mission-MMM at Kitovu Hospital. they are donating free artificial limbs to patients
The US-based charity organization of Montero Medical Mission-MMM
has collaborated with St. Joseph’s Hospital Kitovu in Masaka City, to provide free
prosthetic limbs to people living with various mobility challenges, due to amputation.
At least 50 people from districts of the greater Masaka sub region
are set to benefit from the partnership, inaugurated with a week-long free eye
and artificial limb fitment medical camp at Kitovu Hospital.
Reverend Father Charles Ssebalamu, the Parish Priest of St.
Steven’s Parish based in the United States of America says, the support has
come in the form of charity, sourced from his foreign friends who accepted
to corroborate with Masaka Diocesan Health Department to attend to some of the local
medical conditions in the area.
Fr. Ssebalamu indicates
that their assessments established that the hospital registers many patients, who
are struggling with mobility difficulties after they have lost their natural
limbs due to various causes, hence preferring to support them with artificial prosthetic
fittings.
According to him, each of the maiden beneficiaries of the support
will have their limbs manufactured at a cost ranging between 500 to 2,000 US
dollars; a cost which not many people can afford.
He explains that through the partnership, Kitovu Hospital is also
expected to develop the required capacity to start local manufacturing, fitting,
and repairing artificial limbs, which will make the devices affordable and easily
accessible to people who need them.
Luganda Audio
//Cue in:
“babadde bagala okukola……
Cue out; …….kukikola
wano.’’//
Dr. Micheal Smith, a Prosthetist- Orthotist attached to Montero
Medical Mission, who is leading the medical camp indicates that they want the
center of public advisory on how to prevent the avoidable causes of amputation.
He explains that besides motor accidents, their assessment has
established that many people are amputated due to adverse effects of suffering
from diabetes; a medical condition that can be controlled by maintaining a proper
diet.
//Cue in:
“Diabetes unfortunately is…..
Cue out: ……medication
is high.”//
Reverend Sister Resty
Nakanyike, the Assistant Administrator of St Joseph’s Hospital Kitovu, observes
that the partnership is presenting them with a grand opportunity that will enable
them to widen their scope of service delivery level.
She explains that the hospital has regularly been receiving cases
of people who need artificial limbs but their needs could not be attended to because
the facility lacked the required capacity, saying the support is a great addition
to them.
According to her, on a weekly average, the hospital records
between Six to nine accident victims, some of whom are amputated or even
brought with badly crushed limbs.
Alex Bukenya, Sarah Nansereko and Paul Mwanje Luwalira, some
of the beneficiaries set to receive the free artificial limbs indicate that their
hope of getting the devices had faded out because they could not afford the
cost.
