Suubi Trust

Kaluba has been a patient on Hope Ward and his story was printed in today’s Monitor:

Our thanks to Dr Richard and the clinical team who have helped to make such a significant change in Kaluba’s quality of life and to Dr Ian and other supporters who generously sponsor such care on Hope Ward.

Only a month ago, Sam Kaluba was in pain and had difficulty walking and working by himself. Then he underwent surgery at no cost. He is recovering and says the pain is much less now, writes Fred Muzale.

Remember Sam Kaluba, the 46-year-old who could neither walk nor do any work because of the swelling (keloid) on his right cheek? Well, he can now walk and has resumed work. Seated in his bicycle garage at Ntenjeru Trading Centre in Kayunga District, Kaluba chats with his customers and friends.

He smiled when he saw me unlike before when he was crying in pain from the big swelling. The keloid which had threatened to ruin his future started as a small pimple when he was only five years old. It was only last month after Daily Monitor had written about Kaluba’s condition that Dr Ian Clarke, the Chief Executive Officer, International Hospital Kampala, and another sympathiser, Ms Grace Nagendi from Engenderhealth learnt about his suffering.

Dr Clarke offered free surgery for Kaluba at his hospital while Ms Nagendi offered money to transport him and his sister to the hospital.

Kaluba whose ailment was diagnosed by doctors as a keloid, which is caused by an abnormal overgrowth of cut scar tissue, had lived with it for over 43 years. He had no money to go for an operation because he could neither walk nor do anything to earn a living as he was always in pain.

Kaluba who has a wife and 11 children, was emaciated and weak. He was always groaning in his two-roomed house because of the pain and weight of the swelling. He had given up on life but all that is now in the past. When Dr Clarke read about his ailment, he called the author of the article, asking him to take Kaluba to IHK to be operated.

At IHK, he underwent medical checkup where it was confirmed he had a keloid and was told by a doctor only identified as Dr Ben to report on Thursday the following week for an operation.

On the said day, the anxious Kaluba who was in pain and could not walk easily, woke up early and accompanied by his sister Grace Nakato, travelled to Kayunga Taxi Park and boarded a taxi to Kampala. On reaching IHK, he was admitted to Hope Ward until the following day when he was operated on.

According to Dr Clarke, Kaluba underwent surgery and was injected with steroids. He was also subjected to radiotherapy to ensure that the keloid doesn’t come back.

“The main problem with keloids is that after a patient undergoes an operation, they will always recur, but we have injected him with steroids and also applied radiotherapy on him to prevent it from recurring,” Dr Richard Feinmann, a specialist at Hope Ward, IHK said, adding that over Shs1m was spent on the operation.

Following the operation, Kaluba was required to report to the hospital every two weeks for medical examination. “He has to report back regularly for medical examination so that we examine his wound and also give him more drugs,” the doctor said. It may take at least a month for his wound to heal and Dr Feinmann explains that there are plans to carry out plastic surgery on him so that the scars are not seen.

Kaluba now says he feels better and has started doing his work – repairing bicycles, which he had been doing before his ailment worsened.

“I’m fine now. The pain has almost subsided. I am really grateful to IHK, Ms Nagendi, Daily Monitor and whoever contributed to my treatment,” Kaluba said with a broad smile.

He thinks if he had not received treatment, he would be dead by now. “It’s God who did all this for me. Where would I have got all that money to pay the medical bills?” he wondered. Having been confined to his home for almost 10 years, people in his village and in Kayunga Town where he used to ride a boda boda, were surprised to see him walking and without the swelling. A visibly happy Kaluba walked through Kayunga Town the day he was discharged, greeting friends who hugged and also gave him money.

His wife, Ms Agnes Nakityo was the happiest. “Even though some people laughed at me because my husband had a big swelling and looked ugly, I never thought of divorcing him but I am happy that he has been treated,” she said as she looked at her husband with a smile.

Kaluba also says he plans to start riding his boda boda bicycle so he can get money to build a nice house for his family and also educate his children.