Budhagali hospitalised-relatives appeal for financial assistance
Sep 29, 2019
Budhagaali also known as Dhada (grandfather), a spiritual leader of the Basoga clans was on September 1 admitted at Nile International Hospital in a coma
Relatives of the ailing Mzee Nabamba Budhagaali have appealed for financial help from well-wishers to meet his hospital expenses.
Budhagaali also known as Dhada (grandfather), a spiritual leader of the Basoga clans was on September 1 admitted at Nile International Hospital in a coma where he was diagnosed with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) stroke.
According to Dr. Edrine Mulema, the medical director, the spiritualist was admitted in critical condition and was unconscious with a high fever. He was later discovered to be suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes.
"We discovered that he had poorly controlled diabetes and it was the first time to discover that for a long time he was suffering from high blood pressure," Dr. Mulema stated.
Doctors have also warned his caretakers not to let him smoke, his brand trademark as a spiritualist. Some relatives had wanted to serve him his trademark smoke pipe, which they claim without it he misses his spiritual powers.
Dr. Mulema, however, said although Budhagaali was a strong smoker, tobacco, though a risk factor, it was not the primary cause of his sickness.
The doctor said that ‘computed tomography' also known as CT Scan revealed that blood had poured in his brain in the left hemisphere, as a result of high blood pressure and diabetes, making it hard for surgery because it was ‘inside the brain matter'.
Dr. Edrine Mulema, the medical director of Nile International Hospital, Jinja speaking to New Vision
He could hardly talk or move his arm and he had been paralyzed on one side.
"But we have been managing him, although is still critical, he can now respond when called, and can move his hand and talks to some of his caretakers," Dr. Mulema explained.
The doctors were however concerned that caretakers demanded him to be discharged in his current status due to shortage of funds to sustain him in hospital.
"But he still needs close monitoring and further medical attention, it will take him some time to get back to normal life, given his advanced age," Dr. Mulema explained, adding that the stroke affected his nerves and brain and although he had recuperated, he needed to stay longer in hospital
The doctors also hope to hand him over to a physiotherapist to manage him.is famous for claiming powers over the R. Nile rapids, well known for being home to some of the world's finest grade 5 white water rafting, a distance away from the source of R. Nile in Jinja town.
Budhagaali, from Budhagaali village in Budondo Sub-county in Jinja district with a number of spiritual shrines, has a big clientele of traditionalists who claim that he possesses miraculous healing powers.
Many have been frequenting the hospital, looking forward to his recovery.
His wife, Mastullah Lukowe Nnalongo appealed for financial assistance from his followers. She, however, said they had so far got few responses from friends who have contributed money for his treatment including the Speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga who gave sh400,000.
Others are Jjumba Aligaweesa, a traditional healer and wife Ssenga Kulannama who provided sh1.6m, Hajji Ssebaggala from Kasawo contributed sh2m and other small contributions.
"We have been appealing to followers to help us meet the hospital bills, but we received little money yet the bill is growing. We had asked to discharge us because we might fail to foot the medical bill after 26 days," she said.
She was in the company of her two daughters, Betty Nammande and Annet Nakate.