Museveni opens hospital in Mbale

By Alfred Wasike and Nathan Etengu PRESIDENT Museveni has opened an orthopaedic Childrens's Hospital of Uganda (CHU) in Mbale. The 30-bed-one million-dollar facility with the state of the art equipment, and whose construction started in 1998, is the second of its kind in Africa. The other hospital is at Kijabe, Kenya. Both hospitals were built with assistance from a USA-based charity, CURE International. CURE executive officer Dr. Scott Harrison said the facility will be a training centre for Africa for the care of crippled children. He said the hospital will provide "the latest techniques of paediatric care." Specialised surgeons from the United States and Uganda have started conducting corrective surgery for a wide range of deformities among children. Museveni also cut a tape to open the sh2.9b ultra-modern Mbale district headquarters, the Lukhobo Hall, where he met more than 100 army veterans. He later addressed a large rally at Uhuru Park where he said these developments were a result of the "peace, security and deliberate policies of the Movement." Speaking moments after cutting the tape to open the children's hospital, Museveni who was welcomed by to the town Mbale by a mammoth crowd of cheering supporters, said, "Through the love of God, we can now have a facility in Mbale comparable to the best anywhere in the world where our children can be admitted for corrective surgery. "I am happy that over 300 children have (already) been seen in the clinic and 50 surgical operations performed. "Your projections of 1,000 surgical operations in the first year and 5,000 to 10,000 out-patients may be rather conservative," Museveni said. He was accompanied by his wife Janet. "These and other new projects springing in Uganda are not accidental but a results of carefully thought out plans by the Movement Government. Support us by giving us votes to consolidate these achievements and fulfil others," he said. Mbale Municipality MP James Wapakhabulo thanked Bill and Judith Goodwyn of Team Uganda who he said introduced his wife Angelina to CURE. "God has used (this ministry) to bring us this unique facility," he said. Dr Harrison said, "We bring training and care to children with neurosurgical disorders, orthopedic deformities, burn contractures, cleft lips and palates. The CURE Uganda board of directors are Janet and Harrison, co-chairperson. Others are Stephen Miller, Sally Harrison, Angelina Wapakhabulo, James Cohick, Benjamin Warf and Pastor Paul Wabukoma. Ends.