Free neurosurgery camp opens in Kampala
Apr 30, 2019
Medics will offer the services up to Thursday, May 2 at ISBAT University
Cancer, brain and heart patients have a chance to seek for free consultation and treatment by a team of specialists at an ongoing medical camp in Kampala.
Specialists from an Indian based Apollo Hospital and Ugandan medics will offer the services up to Thursday, May 2 at ISBAT University located on Lugogo Bypass.
The medical camp is the university's social outreach program to reach out to needy Ugandans in the areas of oncology, neurosurgery and paediatric cardiology.
Senior specialists from Apollo Hospital led by Dr Joy Varghese a neurosurgeon, radio oncologist Dr Ratnadevi Ramadas, paediatric cardiologist Dr Anuradha Sridhar were on Tuesday attending to over 200 patients who turned up for treatment which under different circumstances could have cost them dearly.
Apollo Hospital is a leading Indian multi-speciality hospital that carries out cardiac surgery, brain surgery, paediatric, leukaemia, In vitro fertilisation (IVF) and ear, nose and throat (ENT) treatment.
Uganda Medical Association (UMA), president Dr Ekwaro Obuku hailed ISBAT University for the initiative which he said was a relief for the needy patients.
"I would like to encourage Ugandans to come for screening, consultation and treatment. It is so expensive to treat a patient who needs a neurological surgery. It is a golden chance which should not be missed," Obuku said.
At Mulago Hospital, a government facility, for example, a CT scan costs about sh120,000 while an MRI is about sh750,000 in a private clinic, however, a brain operation abroad costs sh54m to sh81m.
He said the government should have a deliberate plan to train more neurosurgeons. Obuku said Uganda has only 7 active neurosurgeons.
Neurosurgeons are physicians who specialise in the diagnosis, management and surgical treatment of neurological diseases and conditions. They deal with rehabilitating disorders of the brain, skull, spinal cord and nerves.
They also deal with congenital anomalies, tumours, vascular disorders and trauma.
Some of Uganda's neurosurgeons are; doctors John Mugambe, Michael Muhumuza, Joel Kiryabwire, John Baptist Mukasa and Hussein Ssenyonjo.