Hospital gets sh60m for brain diseases
Apr 27, 2009
Barclays Bank has donated sh60m to CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda in Mbale to treat hydrocephalus, spina fida and brain tumours.
By Daniel Edyegu
Barclays Bank has donated sh60m to CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda in Mbale to treat hydrocephalus, spina fida and brain tumours.
Michael Kaddu, the bank’s corporate affairs manager, handed over a cheque to the hospital on Friday. He said the funds were meant to help the hospital treat more children in rural areas who had neurological disabilities.
“This is not about corporate social responsibility. It is about saving the lives of children. We give back 1% of our profits to the community,†he said.
Derek Johnson, the hospital director, said the funds would facilitate outreach clinics at Katalemwa Cheshire Home, Gulu, Mbale and Mbarara districts.
“We are targeting 1,500 children this year,†Johnson said. He noted that 3,000 new cases of hydrocephalus were reported annually out of which 70% contracted it a month after birth.
He said last year, the hospital treated 4,150 cases and had 550 surgeries. Hydrocephalus is a disorder where water accumulates in the brain. It is caused by complications of premature birth like hemorrhage, tumours and traumatic head injury.
Spina fida is when the spinal cord is deformed and lacks its protective skeletal and soft tissue covering. It is caused by insufficient folic acid.
Barclays Bank has donated sh60m to CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda in Mbale to treat hydrocephalus, spina fida and brain tumours.
Michael Kaddu, the bank’s corporate affairs manager, handed over a cheque to the hospital on Friday. He said the funds were meant to help the hospital treat more children in rural areas who had neurological disabilities.
“This is not about corporate social responsibility. It is about saving the lives of children. We give back 1% of our profits to the community,†he said.
Derek Johnson, the hospital director, said the funds would facilitate outreach clinics at Katalemwa Cheshire Home, Gulu, Mbale and Mbarara districts.
“We are targeting 1,500 children this year,†Johnson said. He noted that 3,000 new cases of hydrocephalus were reported annually out of which 70% contracted it a month after birth.
He said last year, the hospital treated 4,150 cases and had 550 surgeries. Hydrocephalus is a disorder where water accumulates in the brain. It is caused by complications of premature birth like hemorrhage, tumours and traumatic head injury.
Spina fida is when the spinal cord is deformed and lacks its protective skeletal and soft tissue covering. It is caused by insufficient folic acid.