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Medics at Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services in Uganda (CoRSU), explain that about 80% of physical disabilities in Uganda that occur in children can be reduced or cured.

Unfortunately, many still fail to receive the required services due to the lack of an Intensive Care Unit at the facility.

The medical director at CoRSU, Dr Fisha Moses Muhumuza, painted a desperate picture of the state of health care for children at the CoRSU, describing how they have to travel a long distance to get ICU services.

“The number of children in need of orthopedic services has increased in the country, we get so many patients in critical condition that need to be handled in an ICU but because we do not have it, we are unable to give them the service something that is affecting us because we are a speciliased hospital,” Dr Muhumuza said.

Dr Muhumuza further said that the Kisubi-based hospital can handle any orthopedic issue but they are struggling financially because some of their donors died during Covid 19.

“We are now seeking local donors to fund the hospital. Anyone can donate to the hospital or sponsor a child starting from sh500,000 going upwards. To sponsor a child to go through surgery it requires sh3million,” Dr Muhumuza said.

CoRSU was established in 2009 as a private, non-profit, non-governmental organization in Uganda. CoRSU’s core mandate is to mitigate the debilitating effects of disabling physical conditions, by ensuring accessibility and availability of quality, preventative, curative, and rehabilitative services for people with disability in Uganda and neighboring countries.

CoRSU provides subsidized treatments (surgery and rehabilitation) for vulnerable patients and this is carried out through social assessment tools.

With continued appeal for support where this organization has kept its promise of changing the lives of disabled children and their families, the Institution of Surveyors of Uganda saw it fitting to assist.

During a tour at the Hospital, the President of the Institution of Surveyors of Uganda, Alozius Gonza, handed over a set of mattresses and blankets estimated to benefit more than 2,000 disabled people.

“The services have been provided not only for the people within the country but also for those from neighboring countries such as South Sudan, DRC Congo, and Kenya, 80% of whom are physically handicapped children with walking difficulties,” Gonza explained.

Dr Robert Ochai, the CEO of CoRSU, commended the surveyors for their efforts in supporting the government of Uganda in extending health services to the disabled. He explained that patients no longer need to travel abroad for such services.

“In a week we see over 500 patients, of those 70% are children. The great number we see come during holidays because that is when school-going children are at home. Last year we carried out 25000 high-level surgeries,” Dr Ochai, said.

Dr Ochai called upon Ugandans to stop visiting the hospital when it is too late to cure the condition.

“We are a last resort, we get cases that have been mismanaged when the patients have spent all the money. We need them when they still have the money,” Dr Ochai, said.