Surgery
Global Challenge regularly funds surgery for a variety of children in need and this has sometimes necessitated treatment in Kampala. Children have benefited from medical intervention which has prevented limb amputation and in some cases restored their ability to walk. Young people have been found in the villages suffering from serious bone infections such as osteomyelitis, this requires immediate, urgent attention. In such situations Global Challenge has been able to act immediately to release funding for their surgical treatment. The project has also been able to access the skills and expertise of visiting surgeons, such as the team from Holland who worked at Kumi Hospital on bone grafts and gluteal fibrosis problems.
Waiting for surgery
Spring 2014 – Global Challenge authorised sixteen operations at a cost of approximately £100 each.
Summer 2014 – A further twenty operations cost £1,916 were funded, nine of these to correct gluteal fibrosis. These children’s lives have all been transformed by the generosity of our supporters.
February 2015 – Global Challenge released a further £1,200 for ten operations.
Gluteal Fibrosis
Gluteal Fibrosis is a condition where the child has been given an injection of quinine, or other drugs such as antibiotics, into the buttocks instead of being given the medication intravenously; which causes large areas of muscle to be replaced by fibrous tissue. This tissue has to be cut to allow the muscle to develop properly again. Until this is done a child’s movement is severely restricted giving rise to problems using pit latrines, joining in games with other children, suffering back pain and muscle spasms. Children often become socially isolated but after the operation with on going physiotherapy, they are completely cured.
Following clinics organised by co-ordinator Billy, special needs teacher Peter and the head teacher of a school in Tiriri are now identifying children with gluteal fibrosis and referring them to Global Challenge through Peter. This is such good progress; the head now says that his teachers are understanding why children are late for school, why they do not interact socially and how they are in discomfort and pain. It’s all about education!
 Ruphine has her operation for gluteal fibrosis in 2011. Now completely recovered she enjoys playing with all her friends. |
 Sam – had an operation for gluteal fibrosis at Kumi Hospital in May 2013. The operation was funded buy GC. When Trustees met him (aged 12) in August 2013 he was smiling, in spite of having some stitches in. His response was ‘I am no longer disabled, I can now weed the garden’.
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Osteomyelitis
Solomon has now started Crossroads School in February 2014, at the start of the new school year. He missed much of his schooling as a youngster due to chronic Osteomyelitis. He has been treated can now ride a bike, which is good as he lives a few miles away from the school. Although he will attend the school free he still needs to purchase uniform, pencils and a few other necessities.
Catherine has osteomyelitis and has had some ‘dead’ bone removed from her leg. She had a post operative infection and needed daily transport to have her dressings changed to avoid further infection.
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Trustees first met Mercy in 2011 when she could not walk, as one leg was longer than the other. The head of Mercy’s femur had not been in place, then she sustained a fracture. After several operations by Italian surgeons at Corsu Hospital in Entebbe, a twelve hour journey from Soroti, Mercy can now walk again with a specially adapted shoe – and would rather like a bicycle to go to school on!
Global Challenge has funded Mercy’s transport, accomodation and family costs for her hospital visits.
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