Children with abnormalities overwhelm medics

Apr 08, 2014

Over 100 children in Teso sub-region have benefited from free surgeries at Soroti hospital

By Godfrey Ojore  
 
Over 100 children in Teso sub-region have benefited from free surgeries at Soroti Referral Hospital conducted by doctors from Canada, Mulago and Soroti during a week-long surgical camp that ended on Friday.
 
The doctors carried out surgeries on children with complications and abnormalities ranging from Hirchsprang, hypospadia, Ano rectal malformations and imperforate anus. 
 
Experts said that children are born with those abnormalities and if they are not attended to early, it leads to the death. 
 
true
 A Canadian doctor examines a sick child  for surgery at Soroti Referral Hospital  
PHOTO/Godfrey Ojore
 
“We are overwhelmed by the turn up of people with children with abnormalities like those who cannot pass stool and urine among others. However, we have tried our best to save those who came,” Dr. Emmanuel Battibwe, the Hospital Director, said.
 
Six Canadian doctors led by Dr. Damian Duffy, managing director of pediatric surgical evaluation and Innovation plus thirteen doctors from Uganda are offering the service which is an annual event to help the vulnerable communities.
 
“The surgeries we are conducting are expensive. If a patient went to a private hospital it cost over a million shillings. This is too much for peasants in the villages,” Dr. Battibwe noted.
 
Dr.  Damian pledged to continue coming to Africa to help perform surgeries on the affected children.
 
true

A Canadian and Ugandan doctors operating on a child at Soroti referral hospital. PHOTO/
Godfrey Ojore     

 
“This is one way of giving back to the communities and we shall continue the spirit of helping the needy,” Dr. Damian said.
 
Evelyn Aguti a mother of a two-year-old child was all smiles to the efforts of the doctors who conducted a successful operation on her child who was born without an anus.
 
“I was puzzled when I produced a baby who could not defecate. It was a strange thing because it has never happened in my sub-county but I am happy now that they have corrected that abnormality, my son is now normal,” a happy Aguti said.
 
 RELATED ARTICLE 
 
Born with intestines out Publish Date: Jun 11, 2013
Born with missing limbs Publish Date: Aug 09, 2013

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});