There is no official national register of pensioners in the country of Uganda:

10 June, 2016

 

By Nelson Wesonga, Kampala

 

Government says it does not have records of pensioners due to “lack of data and personal files.”

According to the ministry of Public Service, many pensioners do not show up for verification thus leading to delays in payment of their monthly dues and the once off gratuity.

The State minister for Public Service, Mr David Karubanga told MPs during plenary that the ministry will, carry out a census and biometric validation of pensioners starting February 20.

“The ministry of Public Service does not have a national register of pensioners,” Mr Karubanga said yesterday.

“Despite the decentralisation of pension management, a number of votes [ministries] have not verified the records on the payroll.”

A day earlier, Aruu Member of Parliament, Odonga Otto had told the August House that many pensioners have not been paid for several months.

Many were, therefore, depending on their relatives – who already have other financial responsibilities – to pay their bills or to buy basics.

Those without relatives are borrowing items from shopkeepers.

Shopkeepers though can only lend them for a few months expecting to be paid once they get their gratuity.

Following Mr Odonga’s remarks, the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga said the government was treating the senior citizens disrespectfully.

On Wednesday, Mr Karubanga also said the Public Service ministry had for the last four years not carried out verification of pensioners “due to funding shortage and lack of clear addresses" [of the pensioners].

The verification of the pensioners will be done between February 20 and March 24 at the district headquarters by Face Technologies.

According to Mr Karubanga, Face Technologies will do the work, which the ministry failed.

However, it is still not clear how much the ministry will pay the company.

Face Technologies is the company that processes driving permits for motorists.

Workers Members of Parliament Margaret Rwabushaija and the Erute Member of Parliament Jonathan Odur said the government should tell Ugandans when it would pay the pensioners all their arrears.

Mr Karubanga said payments are the responsibility of the Finance ministry.

All that Public Service does is to furnish the Finance ministry with the particulars of the claimants.

 

 

    THE

OBJECTIVES:

 

 It is to develop the elderly of Africa, Uganda financially.

 

Secondly, it is to assist the needy and disabled.

 

Third, it is to humanely visit the sick and stressed.

 

Fourth it is to create financial projects for the needy to generate income for the elderly and young.

 

This organization has carried out such activities as:

Cake and bread baking.

 

Members have been involved in rural building construction and road making and repairs.

 

Members have been involved in decoration on functions.

 

Members have been involved in all means of assistance in burial ceremonies in the communities.

 

 

Ugandan workers are less educated and poorly paid:
 

Publish Date: 22 September, 2014

 

By Samuel Sanya

 

 

MOST working Ugandans are only educated up to secondary level, work for 10 years, six days a week and earn at least shillings 403/- per hour according to a wages survey.

 

In the wage indicator survey, released recently, 1,306 Ugandans from all administrative regions were interviewed by the Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) in conjunction with Dutch and Tanzanian researchers.

 

Conservative estimates place Uganda’s working population at 17 million. The average working week of respondents is almost 60 hours and they work six days per week.

 

Slightly over half (51%) work evenings, seven of 10 workers report working on Saturdays, while four of 10 work on Sundays.

 

Nearly half of the workers in the sample were managers. Only two of 10 workers had a permanent contract, three of 10 were on fixed term contract while four of 10 workers said they are entitled to social security.

 

Despite the low numbers entitled to pensions, respondents indicated having four dependants on average. The analysis showed that 77% of the workers were paid on or above the poverty line of sh403 per hour or $1.25 (about sh3,000) per day.

 

Five percent of workers had no formal education, 14% studied to primary education 48% had secondary education certificates, 16% had a college education and 17% a university degree. Only 62% of informal workers are paid above the poverty line compared to 97% of the most formal workers.

 

Workers in trade, transport and hospitality are most at risk of poverty with 30% paid less than a dollar a day. Public servants are best paid. At least 92% earned above the poverty line.

 

Labour State minister Rukutana Mwesigwa recently revealed that Cabinet is considering creation of a wage board and a minimum wage.

 

The Government last set a minimum wage of sh6,000 in 1984. In 1975, the Minimum Wage Advisory Council recommended a sh75,000 minimum monthly wage. It remains on paper.

Why are the poor citizens of Uganda receiving money that is accounted for as a national pension for the elderly of this country?

 

By Joseph Kato

 

Posted  Tuesday, July 5   2016

 

The Senior Citizens Grant in Uganda is given to the elderly aged 65 and above to help them live decent livelihoods; however, in some districts, it is the young, energetic poor that are being given the money.

Over 110,000 persons aged 65 and above in 141 sub-counties, towns and 6,028 villages in 15 districts are beneficiaries of the Senior Citizens Grant (SCG) that was started in 2010. SCG is one of the essential modules of the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE), financed by government and development partners such as DFID and Irish Aid.

SCG is aimed at enhancing access to basic needs such as food security, better nutrition, health care and improving housing among others which is legal onus of the state to provide wellbeing and upkeep for the elderly.

David Lambert Tumwesigye, advocacy advisor at Expanding Social Protection (ESP) at the Ministry Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) calls upon the new MPs to join the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Social Protection (UPFSP) so that they can advocate care for the elderly.

What do MPs say?

Agnes Taka, Bugiri Woman MP, appreciates the services that have been offered to the elderly through SAGE. However, she calls upon the government to be open and involve grassroots leaders when selecting beneficiaries saying it will help to avoid issues of segregation.

“We need to know what criterion is followed when choosing SAGE beneficiaries. It is perturbing to learn about activities being done in your constituency from locals. Leaders need to be involved,” argues Taka.

She wonders why majority of the 15 districts where SAGE has been enrolled and the next 20 districts targeted to benefit from the programme are not from poverty stricken areas.

She asks her colleagues to push the government hard so that there can be transparency in the enrollment.

Rtd Lt Cyrus Amodoi, MP Tonoma County, Katakwi district, marvels at why the programme in some districts has been shifted from the elderly to the poorest people.

“What I have seen is that there is political interference in some parts where SAGE has been enrolled. In some places they target the poorest people instead of senior citizens,” says Amodoi.

In response to MPs queries, Drake Rukundo, Policy and Monitoring and Evaluation, UPFSP, says they have on ground people who gather information for the befitting citizens. He encourages the MPs to advocate countrywide enrollment for the elderly.

Rukundo says they want government to commit resources as a priority towards social protection to help the elderly live decent livelihoods because they are the bridge between the past and the future.

He applauds the 9th Parliament for being instrumental in ensuring the survival of the SAGE programme and extending it from 15 districts to additional 40 districts in the next five years.

In the FY 2015/16 Budget process, Parliament made a resolution where the SAGE programme was to be rolled out to the whole country covering 100 oldest persons in every sub-county.

Tumwesigye says the 10th parliament and the government did their work and it remains critical that all districts get covered for fairness and equitable development. The new MPs are expected to enlist to become members so that advocacy on social protection is boosted.

The forum undertakes to provide information and create spaces for engagement on issues touching social protection.

The cabinet passed the social protection policy which proposes a myriad of progressive interventions that if implemented will significantly contribute to the journey from third world to middle income status as envisaged in the Vision 2040.

However, even with the current roll-out plan, only a total of 55 districts will be reached leaving out 57 districts. To maximise pressure on government, the Forum has conducted regional consultative meetings that bring together Members of Parliament, District Chairpersons, District Community Development Officers and the civil society.

Reports from the Ministry

Reports from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development indicate that the senior citizens grant is increasing productive investment where 32 per cent of the beneficiaries use the money to buy livestock or engage in petty trading while 27 per cent of the beneficiaries invest their money in hiring additional labour to work in their gardens.

“At least 16 per cent of the beneficiaries save their month’s payment purposely to cover emergencies, 17 per cent use the gratuities to support productive investments, cultivation (15 per cent and meeting the educational needs of children and/or grandchildren taking 14 per cent,” reads the report on expanding social protection programme for senior citizens grant.

According to the report, majority of the senior citizens grant beneficiaries spend the large part of their transfers on food leading to increased frequency, quantity and quality of meals eaten by beneficiary households.

The report further shows that SCG beneficiaries especially women consistently report improved participation in community affairs, sense of self-esteem and empowerment. Older people report feeling less discriminated against in their communities and more valued by their families on account of their ability to make social contributions to community-based social support mechanisms which are based on reciprocity like contributing to funerals and weddings.

About SAGE

SAGE is a financial support programme for people aged 65 years and above. Currently, the programme is covering 15 districts. A total of 40 more districts have been lined up to benefit from SAGE by 2020.

In the 2015/16 budget, over Shs30b was expected for the national rollout where 100 persons per sub-county were to benefit but government committed Shs9 billion only.

jkato@ug.

nationmedia.com

 

This is a young crippled boy who was vaccinated when he was only 3 years:

Unfortunately enough, the Uganda polio vaccination in Kibaale during the 2011 polio programme, did not work out properly and his leg was cut off:

 

World Media

 

29 April, 2020

He says that he does not get any Uganda government or UNICEF help for his parents to help him. Mum makes a living washing people's clothing at Ssekanyonyi, only 6 miles from the city of Kampala, on Gayaza Road, so that she can then pay his school fees. The most reliable phone contact for this boy is Mr Mugerwa at +256782656519 so that the parents can then be accessed. This young boy is very active and plays football and goes fishing and deserves at least an artificial leg to make a better life for himself.

 

 

 

 

 

The Dark side of ‘Dubai Trips’ Zim ladies turn to prostitution & degrading sexual acts with Arabic men for money

 

 

 

 
By str8 talk 
As economic woes mount in the country most Zimbabwean ladies have turned the oldest profession in the world as a means to sustain their livelihoods.

As economic woes mount in the country most Zimbabwean ladies have turned the oldest profession in the world as a means to sustain their livelihoods.

Some Zimbabwean ladies are now reportedly partaking in high level prosti_tution in United Arab Emirates.

The ladies are offered huge amounts of money by the wealthy Arabic men for their se_xual services and South African based brokers who act as middlemen in turn get paid a commission for the services.

According to Dangwe News one such lady Grace  (Not real name) who is based in Avondale described the culture as satanic.

 

‘I WENT THERE FOUR TIMES ON THESE SE_X TRIPS AFTER A FRIEND INTRODUCED ME, THE MONEY IS GOOD BUT IT IS DIRTY MONEY. ON MY FIRST TRIP THREE MEN WOULD POOP ON ME FOR MORE THAN FOUR DAYS, IT WAS NEVER ABOUT SE_X BUT MORE OF BEING TREATED LIKE AN ANIMAL’. GRACE SAID SHE MADE OVER U$15,000 ON HER FIRST TRIP WHILE ALL HER EXPENSES WERE CATERED FOR.

The trips are so popular that most girls fail to make the cut. On her last trip Grace told us how she was made to have se_x with teenage boys.

‘THE BOYS WERE VIR_GINS AND THE DADS WANTED THEM TO HAVE SE_X AND TEACH THEM HOW IT IS DONE, IT ALL HAPPENED IN A PACKED ROOM IT IS GOOD NONE OF THEM WERE RECORDING THE SESSION. THE SO CALLED GIRLS TRIPS TO DUBAI ARE ALL ABOUT THIS’. SO BAD IS THE PRACTICE THAT EVEN MARRIED LADIES ARE DOING IT WHILE SOME GIRLS AS YOUNG AS 17 YEARS ARE BEING FORCED TO JOIN BY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.

Some ladies in turn use the word professional escort to describe their occupation to the world but the real story is much harsher and stranger than fiction.

 

 

THE WRETCHED OF THE EARTH ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT:

These kids need help and fast:

By Multi Media

 

3rd May, 2019

 

 

The modern African continent does not deserve this human misery

 

 

 

The African kid having a nap in the dust

Some people have homes, cars, and fancy clothes, but unfortunately there are some who have absolutely nothing! Please remember the poor and the needy in your prayers.

 

 

 

 

 

African Conjoined Twins are joining the University of Tanzania to study:

 
The African conjoined twins, Maria and Consolata Mwakikuti

Iringa, Tanzania | AFP | A pair of conjoined sisters are settling into campus life at a Tanzanian university, a first in a country where disabled people are often marginalised or abandoned at birth.

Maria and Consolata Mwakikuti, 20, who are joined at the abdomen, have become minor celebrities in the east African nation where the media have closely followed their path through high school and arrival at university earlier this month.

Mwazarau Mathola, spokeswoman for the Ruaha Catholic University in Iringa in the centre of the country, said on Thursday the women arrived a few weeks before classes start in October to get used to their new life and take computer lessons.

“A separate house has been provided for them, furnished and set up for their needs, because they can’t be housed in normal student accommodation,” said Mathola.

A couch has been installed in their classroom to allow them to sit comfortably, and they have a carer.

 

The twins were abandoned by their mother after the death of their father, and later taken in by a Catholic mission. They will study education, with the hope of becoming teachers of history, English and Swahili, said Mathola.

In July, Maria made an emotional call on state television for parents not to “hide or lock up their handicapped children”.

“They must know they human beings, handicapped or not, are equal and have the same rights,” she said.

The sisters, who enjoy knitting and cooking together, thanked the teachers who helped them through highschool, as well as the government who provided a vehicle to take them from their home to school each day.

“We didn’t expect this day to come, it is by the grace of God that we are here today,” said Consolata, the chattier of the two.

The sisters admit that they do not always get along, as Consolata told a local newspaper in 2015: “For example when I want to do laundry and Maria prefers to read. However we always find a way around it.”

An American Baby has had a huge tumour removed from her face: (Amazing transformation)

By  

Updated: 
 
 
A child born with a massive disfiguring tumour covering the left side of her face is back home in Montana, USA, after receiving her latest surgery to remove it.

 

Joe and Jennifer McGillis returned home from New York City after their child, two-year-old Sloan, received the care she desperately needed.
 

Brain tumour breakthrough could lead to improved treatment

 
Updated: 

 

A breakthrough in the most common form of fatal brain tumour could lead to an improvement in how they are treated, according to a new study.

 

Scientists from Newcastle University say they have contradicted the commonly held belief that tumour cells require mainly sugars to make energy by showing that they actually rely on fats to fuel growth.

The experts claimed this could have significant implications for understanding the behaviour of glioma, which is the most common form of malignant brain tumour in adults with approximately four cases per 100,000 people each year.

Dr Elizabeth Stoll, from Newcastle University's Institute of Neuroscience, said: "Patients with malignant glioma currently receive a poor prognosis, and new interventions are desperately needed to increase the survival and quality of life for patients with the condition.

"Our results provide new insight into the fundamental biochemistry of cancer cells, with exciting implications for patients in the future.

"Most cells within the adult brain require sugars to produce energy and sustain function. Interestingly, we have discovered that malignant glioma cells have a completely different metabolic strategy as they actually prefer to break down fats to make energy.

 

"Our finding provides a new understanding of brain tumour biology, and a new potential drug target for fighting this type of cancer."

The study made use of tumour tissue donated by patients undergoing surgery, as well as mouse models of the disease.

Findings of the research are published online in the journal Neuro-Oncology.

In the study, the scientists claimed to show that glioma cells grow more slowly if they are treated with a drug known as etomoxir, which prevents the cells from making energy with fatty acids.

But they said that it does not address whether nutrition or diet influence tumour growth.

Dr Stoll said she hoped to carry out future studies to develop the drug with clinical partners, so that glioma patients may benefit from the research in the coming years.

 
 

The Ugandan kid who could not make it on planet Earth

Mother has decided to kill her kid due to poverty in Uganda
 
And a lot of these unspeakable crimes are being committed by women. The level of horrific barbarities being committed in Lango is almost  beyond human comprehension, and this is a daily occurrence. Hudson Apunyo, a Lira based journalist, chronicles this grotesque barbarity and sends me the pictures. It breaks my heart. What more can I say? . I have lost a country, but now I am beginning to think I have also lost my people.

I want to beg any woman who does not need a child for any reason not to kill but hand the kid over to me to raise, I can't bear this pain of seeing innocent children born with no fault of their own go through this pain.  I feel bad that I could do nothing to save this child because by the time my team reached the scene she was already lifeless

She was hanged by Mummy because she never wanted her new boyfriend to know that she has another kid from somewhere else.

Yours faithfully,

Booby.

 

 

The British Medical Surgeons have taken on the surgery of Erick to give him a New face:

Erick the Ugandan boy who has been given a new face after surgery in the United Kingdom.

By World Media

 

19 October 2016

 

Since this documentary was filmed on 5 Star Channel TV in Britain, Erick’s tumour had started to recur and he needed further medical treatment. However, afterwards this operation was a success and the young boy was returned to his country, Uganda. A very happy boy indeed.

Facing the World, the charity that helped Erick, exists to provide life-changing craniofacial surgery to some of the world’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable children.

 

The happiness again of Erick on Planet Earth

 

For more information, please visit  www.facingtheworld.net

 

 

The Suffering Twins of this world:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nakato holding on to her dear sister

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Babirye in bandages after operation.

 

Here are the humane hurting memories of a handicapped girl in Uganda:

Her name: Nassuna Judith Babirye

She is four years old and suffers from congenital multiple joint deformities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The medical report.

 

Her treatment had started 17th March 2015 at Physi-Tech Rehabilitation Centre.

E-mail: physitech001@gmail.com/odisire@yahoo.co.uk.

This medical rehabilitation started at a cost of 1.8 million Uganda Shillings(£363.00)

The family and friends contributed to this cost of about 350000/- Uganda Shillings(£70.00) and run out of money.

There are two major Radio Stations in the country which had taken interest in fund-raising on her behalf. Bukedde Radio refused to take up the offer but Radio Simba did for sometime.

After what seemed to start as a successful fund raising campaign, the Director of the programme suddenly stopped the project and advised the single mother of the patient to switch off her phone number.

There was no clear  explanation given other than to be told that there was no one interested in her requests for charity.

Since then up to now 14 January 2016 no financial assistance has ever come to Nassuna Judith Babirye. She is looked after by her very poor single parent mother M/s Rose Nibogeza, a Christian Catholic lady from Bugwere/Pallisa Province of Uganda.  Presently she lives at Mpererwe, Namere, in Kawempe Zone. She has the responsibility of looking after the young twin sister of Babirye known as Nakato and another 2 sets of twins who are fortunately very normal. One set of twins is 7 years old and another set of twins is 9 years old. They belong to a parental father Mr Salongo Ndorabo Manuel, who unfortunately has left M/s Rose and migrated back to his homeland of Ruanda.

 

Nakato is starting school soon this year if her mother can manage to obtain the School fees. Babirye will certainly be a very lonely girl staying put at home in a wooden panelled- walled house structure alongside a dusty road with no one to play about with in the small dusty front compound. Life indeed is going to be very tough for this very young human being.

If there is any one on this planet interested in the dilemma of this family, the mother can be contacted personally on this telephone number: Uganda: 0773534765.

One understands of recent that some help from very concerned parents is forthcoming for these twins to live a more hopeful life.

 

 

A Mother in Uganda dumps a four-month old baby under a tree:

By Godfrey Ojore

 

Added 19th January 2016

 

Amecet receives, on average, two abandoned children in Teso sub-region every week.

Soroti1 703x422

Florence Atim the in-charge of family protection unit of police in Soroti district carrying the baby. Photo by Godfrey Ojore

Soroti - An Unknown woman has dumped her four-month old baby boy under a tree in Arapai sub-county, Soroti district under unclear circumstances.

The baby wrapped in clothes was found by a passerby lying under a tree and decided to carry it to the police in Arapai police post.

The Police founf a chit indicating that the baby belongs to one Felix Odongo of Abarilela, Amuria district who is believed to be a teacher.

Florence Atim, the in-charge of family protection unit of police in Soroti district, said that

there were also telephone contacts of the said father though they were not going through.

        Police spokesman Uma Assan Yene and Florence Atim,

the incharge of family protection

unit of police in Soroti district carrying

the baby

 

"I have decided to contact the director of Amecet, an orphanage in Soroti to take care of the baby as police mounts a search for the baby's mother," Atim said.

Els Van, the director of Amecet, told New Vision that this is the second baby to be recovered in a period of one week.

"Last week police recovered a one-week old baby dumped in Katakwi district and was brought to our care. Her mother has not been found and we hope that the parents shall show up one day," Van said.

She explained that they receive on average of two abandoned children in Teso sub-region every week.

Kyoga East regional police Commander Juma Hassan Nyene said the problem is big and it's majorly school girls that dump children.

Nyene explained that young girls are made pregnant by irresponsible men who do not offer any assistance to a woman.

"Some girls after realizing that they made a wrong choice to date irresponsible men, they resort into abortion while others who may fail to abort end up dumping children on the road side," Nyene said.

Nearly half (49%) of women aged 20–49 years were married before the age of 18 years and 15% by the age of 15 years according to Uganda Bureau of Standards.

 

Here is M/s Eron NABUKEERA suffering it out on the streets of the African Continent at Kampala, Uganda:

 

Ms Eron is stranded on Kampala Street, Uganda,

outside near one of the richest banks

in the world, Barclays Bank.

She asks for help from anyone

that cares.

 

She can be contacted by mobile phone that she holds in her belongings. The phone number by 13/08/2016 is: 0755085330. She says that she has looked for help from the Medical Fraternity in the Ministry of Health without any success.

Nb

Unfortunately for this young girl, she is very difficult to trace nowadays(28/06/2016). What one finds in some of these very miserable situations is that there are other humans in the control and care of these worse off humans on whom they are very dependant on for their dear life! Some do not want to be photographed at all or take their details. One reckons she lives in real fear of her leg being cut off completely by her medical advisers.

 

War against cancer in Uganda: Besigye washes cars to treat the cancer that is slowly eating away Carol Atuhirwe's young life:

FDC presidential candidate Kizza Besigye joins well-wishers in a fundraising drive involving a car wash to raise more funds to treat Ms Carol Atuhirwe, who needs Shs270m to undergo intensive medical examination in the US. Photo by Emmanuel Ainebyoona

 
By Job Bwire

 

Posted  Saturday, April 23  2016
 

Former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye has joined well-wishers in a fundraising drive involving a car wash to raise more funds to treat Ms Carol Atuhirwe, who needs Shs270m to undergo intensive medical examination in the US.

Besigye on Saturday took his car to be washed at Panamera Bar in Naguru opposite Kampala Parents School where the fundraising drive was held.

He joined several other well-wishers and companies who thronged the place to have their cars washed at Shs50,000 each. Motorcycles are being washed at Shs20,000. 

Earlier, Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) paid Shs100,000 for the Caterpillar and Shs1,750,000 for 35 other cars (at Shs50,000 each).

Ms Atuhirwe, who is currently admitted to Mulago hospital, was first diagnosed with cancer of the throat (larynx) in 2011 but later developed lung cancer, which she has been battling for the last five years.

A social media campaign running under the ‘SaveCarol Campaign’ has so far raised Shs117m, leaving a balance of Shs153m to make Shs250m.

Mr Muhereza Kyamutetera, the coordinator of the ‘SaveCarol Campaign’ and chairperson of committee, said Ms Atuhirwe’s family needed supported now having been drained by the five-year battle to save their daughter.

 

Ms Carol Atuhirwe needs Shs270m to undergo intensive medical examination in the US. 

Ms Atuhirwe, according to Mr Kyamutetera, has so far undergone more than 30 surgeries and the several chemotherapy sessions have caused severe burns and a broken esophagus.

According to Mr Kyamutetera, Ms Atuhirwe is currently unable to talk and feeds through a tube but is able to communicate through writing.

 

The drive comes just days after The Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi (AKUH-Nairobi) announced that it will work with the Ugandan government to provide as many as 400 cancer patients with free treatment in response to the breakdown of Uganda’s only radiotherapy machine.

“We are committed to working with the Government of Uganda to help save the lives of cancer patients in need of treatment while it works to re-establish its radiation therapy capacity,” said AKUH-Nairobi Chief Executive Officer Shawn Bolouki.

Meanwhile, the executive director Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), Dr Jackson Orem yesterday emphasized that patients with advanced cancer and in dire need of radiotherapy treatment will not be sent to Nairobi for medication.

Dr Orem said preference will be given to patients whose cancer is just starting because they have higher chances of surviving than those whose infection has widely spread in the body.

“Priority will be given to those patients who we know if offered radiotherapy treatment, are going to get cured, those patients who radiotherapy will prolong their survival and other patients who have failed to control the cancer symptoms on all the other forms of treatment,” Dr Orema said.

 

Many more Uganda Patients are coming out from hiding so that their various diseases can be helped out financially by a concerned public. 

Ms Nazziwa Mercy , a patient with aplastic anaemia

awaiting her blood transfusion procedure at UCI, Mulago.

 
By Emmanuel Ainebyoona

 

Posted  Thursday, April 28   2016 

 

Mercy Nazziwa, a resident of Ntinda suburb in Kampala, is seeking for support of about Shs168m needed for a bone marrow transplant in an Indian hospital as government defends its failure to treat most complicated cases.

Nazziwa, 36, was diagnosed with aplastic anemia in November last year and she is currently receiving supportive care treatment at the Uganda Cancer Institute located in Mulago.

Aplastic anemia is a condition that occurs when the body stops producing enough new blood cells. It leaves patients feeling fatigued and with a high risk of infections due to uncontrollable bleeding.

Mr Charles Mukasa, the husband says the condition has left his wife very weak and in much pain

“She currently coughs blood, bleeds from the nose and when she goes into menstruation, her bleeding extends for more than two weeks due to lack of a clotting component in her blood,” said Mr Mukasa.

He added that his wife is currently on weekly blood and platelet transfusions in addition to drugs to prevent life threating infections.

“I spend about Shs200,000 (£42.00) per week buying the medications required to treat any infections that could be arising, he says, adding that sometimes the cancer institute has a shortage of blood required for transfusion.

In a recommendation letter, Dr Henry Ddungu, a consultant hematologist at UCI says Nazziwa needs about $50,000 (Shs168m) to assist her receive a lifesaving bone marrow transplant from India.

“A bone marrow transplant is Mercy’s only chance for long term survival. However this procedure is very expensive and is currently not done in Uganda,” Dr Ddungu says, adding that Nazziwa needs assistance to help her raise the money.

Dr Ddungu explains that the diseases causes failure of her bone marrow to produce blood cells like red blood cells essential for carrying oxygen to the body and platelets which prevent bleeding and white blood cells which help her immune system to fight infections.

Nazziwa’s ordeal comes barely a week after a fundraising seeking to help Carol Atuhirwe, a throat and lung cancer patient, who also needs about Shs270m to undergo surgery in the United States but still has a deficit of about Shs70m.

This dilemma is not only for the two patients but for several other patients in Uganda who are in need of support to have treatment in international hospitals.

Ms Joy Asasira, a Programme Manager at the Center for health, Human rights and Development (CEHURD) says government has failed to fulfill its obligations of providing quality health care to its citizens.

“As a human rights advocate, I think government has an obligation of providing health services and commodities like the cancer machine and it has failed in the that regard,” Ms Asasira said.

However, the Health Minister Elioda Tumwesigye defended government saying that it’s not abandoned its people.

“We are trying to establish capacity to handle all patients with complicated cases here. We have a plan to build an international specialized hospital and also looking at equipping the Heart and Cancer Institutes to be able to handle these cases,” Dr Tumwesigye said.

Currently, Dr Tumwesigye says that in the short-term, the budget for international referrals is underfunded hence not able to cater for every patient.

“We have a medical board which accesses the patients for international referrals and there is a case by case consideration,” he says. He notes that the most important thing for government is to build capacity and have all patients handled in Uganda.

Utility

For any financial assistance, donate to Nazziwa Mercy, through her;

Centenary Back account: Name Nazziwa Mercy & Mukasa Charles, Account Number 3620100635

Mobile Money numbers Nazziwa Mercy 0782960019 and Mukasa Charles 0779391140.

 

 

Maama womwaana ye Maria Gorrette Nazziwa, abeera Namere, Mpererwe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joseph Leeya surviving in much pain sitting in his Mum's lap

 

Omwaana ye Joseph Leeya.

Emyaka alina 4

Taata womwaana ye Patrick Ssaku:

Akolera Mpererwe Primary School (Church of Uganda School mufumbiro lya baana). He is 52 years old. Unfortunately he has abondoned his child.

 

Muganda wa Gorreta yalina essimu wa myaka 23 era essimu ye eri 0755958436 nga akola nga House Maid okutuusa nga ye Mukyala Gorreta afunyewo sente okufuna essimu eyiye. Omwami omulala ayamba ku maama ono ali mukutegana bwati ye Mr Fred Onen. Essimu ye eyinza okukozesebwa: 0784325229.

This young mother of 32 years gave birth to her young baby boy at Mulago Hospital in 2012.

The baby was born with an abscess behind his back. He was put into intensive care. Surgery was done at six months old to remove the swelling. This surgery excercibated the swelling of the head  as can be seen in the photo. His legs are getting deformed and he cannot walk.

The specialists could not cope with it all and advised the mother to seek further medical assistance at Katalemwa Chesire Home. M/s Maria Gorette Nazziwa was registered and allocated to one of the hospital branches in the country of Uganda at Mbale. Surgery was done on the swollen and supple head of the child. As the medical reports explain, there was some improvements and the child patient was released from hospital.

M/s  Gorette is now unable to continue with the treatment of her child. And she has four other children to look after. She has spent over 30,000 of her own money to pay for this whole treatment. She owes the Katalemwa Chesire Home 70,000. Her Husband has refused to assist her in the treatment of her child.

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