Spinal cord injury: Athletes call for better equipment and accessible facilities

For Ugandans living with spinal cord injuries, sport offers more than competition.

It provides a way to stay active, rebuild confidence, meet others and take part in community life.

But athletes with spinal cord injuries say the lack of suitable equipment and accessible facilities is making it difficult for them to fully take part in sport.

Jairus Wanyera, treasurer of the Spinal Injuries Sports Group in Nakawa, told Vision Sport that facilities and equipment remain a major challenge for athletes with spinal cord injuries.

“It makes it a little bit hard for us to thrive in our sports. Basically, the equipment that is recognised for such sports makes it adaptive for us because they protect us fully,” Wanyera said.

The group, which has 25 members registered in Nakawa Division, Kampala, takes part in wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair badminton and wheelchair tennis.

The group was founded in 2014 by chairperson Myleen Kyomuhendo. Sarah Naziwa Mutoni is the secretary, while Wanyera is the treasurer.

Members of the spinal cord injury team pose with their trophy

However, Wanyera said the specialised equipment required for adaptive sport is difficult to find in Uganda and even across Africa.

“But the biggest problem is that even with this equipment, we can't find it on the Ugandan market or the African market. It becomes a very big challenge and even getting one is very expensive,” he said.

The athletes have used awareness events to highlight their challenges. During the Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Disability Awareness Day, members demonstrated wheelchair rugby before the Minister of State for Disability Affairs, Joyce Acan Okeny, who promised them some wheelchairs.

Wanyera, however, says more support is needed.

“One of the issues when we create this kind of awareness is to call out partners, call out the government and tell them that there is a challenge here and we really need you to come and find a solution for people living with spinal cord injuries,” he said.

Several of their members took part in the Tugende 2026 Uganda Wheelchair Rugby National Championship held from August 3-7 at MTN Arena Lugogo in Kampala.

Players included Rahuma Ndambasa, Ramzey Nyazi and Joseph Namugera from Kampala Wheelchair Club, while Mercy Padere, Mark Giggs Kalibbala, Robert Ssekandi and Wilberforce Mbabazi represented Wakiso Wheelchair Club.

For the athletes, the challenge is not a lack of interest in sport but having the right conditions to participate.

Wanyera also wants greater awareness about spinal cord injuries, which can result from accidents, falls and other incidents.

“This is a disability that is inevitable for anyone, out of a fall or an accident, and you can live the rest of your life with incontinence and all these things,” he said.

He called for greater recognition and support for people with spinal cord injuries, including access to basic items.

“We need to be recognised so that we can be provided with things like diapers and wheelchairs, because without that then we can't survive,” Wanyera ended.