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MBARARA - Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in conjunction with Mbarara University of Science and Technology has launched a paediatric wheelchair service aimed at supporting the movement of children with long-term mobility problems. 

The program set to improve functional mobility, independence and meaningful participation of children living with disabilities in society through providing appropriate user-centred and equitable mobility assistive technology services, was launched on Tuesday, October 31.  

In his remarks, Mbarara Resident City Commissioner, Lt Col James Mwesigye, hailed the program which is targeting to distribute hundreds of high-standard wheelchairs within Mbarara Hospital’s service location. 

Mwesigye called for the need to sensitise parents not to misuse the donation 

The wheelchairs were donated by Bethany Kids International, a Christian-based organisation 

Mwesigye also challenged Africans to develop the heart of donating to the needy. “Let’s work for a day when all of us will be talking about a donation coming from an African,” he added. 

He emphasised patriotism, especially among all health workers. He also asked young people to make better use of the prevailing peace and fight poverty. 

Mwesigye encouraged beneficiaries of the wheelchairs to maintain them well. He encouraged students to take sciences so that the country can be able to produce many doctors 

Talking about the significance of the donated wheelchairs, Wenceslaus Turyamureba, the senior orthopaedics technologist working with Mbarara Hospital, termed the donation as a liberating tool that will enable some to earn some living and have self-dependence reducing the burden on the people they depend on. He said many of these children are confined. 

“Many of these children are seen as sub-human, which is bad for society,” he added. 

“Part of our responsibility as society is to ensure these people enjoy their right of mobility and access services including education and health services,” Turyamureba added. 

Dr Denis Nansera, a consultant paediatrician who represented the hospital administrator, hailed donors of the facilities, saying these will help to improve the lives of these children. He urged the government to use the skilling programme to help maintain the donated facilities and make more 

He also thanked the government for what he termed as good health programs which helped to eliminate diseases like polio which used to cripple children.  

Nansera also urged the government to support the development of Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital emphasising upgrading it to national referral status and giving them what they need to serve people like building big workshops at the hospital to make wheelchairs. 

According to Mbarara Hospital spokesperson, Halson Kagure, the facility receives over 6 million patients from different districts including those from neighbouring countries namely Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  

Mbarara City medical officer, Dr Kierukye Mugisha also echoed calls to support Mbarara Regional Hospital. He appreciated the Kenyan friends for supporting health services in Uganda. He called for the need to attract more donations. 

Caroline Gumoshabe, the regional human rights officer for the southwestern region, said people with disabilities have a right to full enjoyment of human rights and full equality under the law. 

She encouraged parents with children with disabilities not to give up. 

Monica Kyomugasho from Lyantonde, one of the parents who received wheelchairs for their children, hailed donors and called for more donations saying there are many children in the communities who need such help. 

Juma Majid from Isingiro said the donation will relieve the burden of carrying children at their back, especially when taking them to access services like health care.  

Akatukunda Marion, another parent, said the donation was timely and that there are many parents in the communities who badly need to be supported.