Strange disease attacks boy, set for operation

By Chris Kiwawulo                           

Vincent Oketch had just started trying out walking at the age of one-and-a-half years when a strange disease hit him. His legs started swelling out of the blue and gradually, his condition worsened.

At first, his parents thought he had developed elephantiasis, but a medical check at Tororo hospital proved them wrong.

Oketch's father, Tito Opoya said when his son's legs continued to swell, he gave up and left the issue in the hands of God. But in no time, the toddler was confined to a wheelchair. 

"Since then, he has used three wheel chairs with each bigger than the other," Opoya sid, seated beside his son at the hospital.

Opoya said the boy was liked by his teachers since he was brilliant at Mbula primary school in Tororo where he was in P.2 until last year when he could no longer go for classes due to the ailment.

"He eventually became too heavy and it required at least five men to lift him to school which was over a kilometer away from home," Opoya reminded.

Good samaritan, Dr Isaac Osire (left)  and Oketcho (centre) sitting on the hospital bed. Left is Opoya, his father.

When seated, Oketch, now nine years old, occupies space of about four normal children of his age. On examination, doctors at the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services in Uganda (CORSU) in Entebbe, found out that his left leg was shorter than his right, and the right leg was bigger.

The boy was on Monday admitted at CORSU.

 Dr. Isaac Osire through his Tororo-based organization, Empowerment of Disadvantaged Youth and Children (EDYAC) helped to transfer Oketch to CORSU for treatment.

But when medics examined Oketch, they advised that the boy undergoes an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan, which costs not less than sh1.1m at most facilities in Kampala.

MRI is used to detect structural abnormalities of the body. This is just one of the few treatments that the young boy requires to get better, but his family does not have money.

"The doctors told me that he needs the scan so that they know how to best deal with his condition. His lymph nodes are damaged, so, the MRI scan will give a detailed report about the extent to which they are damaged.

“They also said he has too much fluid in his legs and buttocks that needs to be sucked out," Osire noted. Osire is now looking for Good Samaritans to rescue the helpless boy..

Osire revealed that ADYEC signed a memorandum of understanding with CORSU at the beginning of this year in which he will be regularly taking children with various complications to the health facility.

He has taken over 100 children with disabilities to the hospital since he started working with the hospital a year after it was established in 2006.        

To support the family, PLEASE SEE BELOW:

Write to csr@newvision.co.ug and copy to digital@newvision.co.ug or call 0414337000/0312337000 and ask for Vision Group legal department or use.

Alternatively, send support by mobile money. Go to the MTN Mobile Money Menu and SEND money to the New vision mobile no 0788162001 and give  Vincent Oketch as the REASON .

Also,

The New Vision Bank accounts below;

Vincent Oketch c/o New Vision (as a catch word)

BANK:                  STANDARD CHARTERED BANK-UGANDA

A/C NAME:         NEW VISION PRINTING & PUBLISHING COMPANY

A/C  NUMBER: 8705610690400, BRANCH SPEKE ROAD

SWIFT CODE:      SCBLUGKA

CURRENCY:         US DOLLARS

ADDRESS :           PLOT 19/21 FIRST STREET, IND AREA,  P.O BOX 9815, KAMPALA.

                                                                ********

BANK:                   STANDARD CHARTERED BANK-UGANDA

A/C:                       NAME NEW VISION PRINTING & PUBLISHING COMPANY

A/C:                       NUMBER 0105610690400

BRANCH:             SPEKE ROAD

SWIFT CODE:      SCBLUGKA

CURRENCY:         UGANDA SHILLING

                                                                **********

BANK:                   STANDARD CHARTERED BANK-UGANDA

A/C NAME:         NEW VISION PRINTING & PUBLISHING COMPANY

A/C:                       NUMBER 9305610690400

BRANCH:             SPEKE ROAD

SWIFT CODE:      SCBLUGKA

CURRENCY:         EURO