• 5,592 people were counselled and tested for HIV
• 1,644 were enrolled on our treatment programmes for those living with HIV
• 19 patients received treatment each month for Cancer
• 9 received open heart surgery
• 244 were admitted onto Hope Ward for surgery and complex clinical care
• 89 received physiotherapy
• 225 were tested for TB
• 63 received treatment for TB
• 5,688 local people received out-patient care in Pader
• 3,045 had out-patient care in Lira
• 28,818 attended preventative care presentations.

All of the above received care and treatment free of charge thanks to the generous on-going support of our sponsors.

Her story begins when she was taken by one of her relatives to work in the landing site in Mukono. She failed to find a job and ended up getting married to an old man. She conceived; a month before delivery, her health condition was not good she was taken round to various clinics and shrines. When she was due, she was taken to Jinja Referral hospital where she delivered via C/S. Unfortunately she arrived at the hospital when it was too late to save her baby. The old man she had married disappeared shortly after that abandoning her in the hospital.

After delivery, she experience numbness in her left lower limb, and her foot became black, dry with subsequent necrosis of subcutaneous tissue leading to gangrene and maggots could come out. She was taken to Jinja Hospital and was referred to Mulago hospital where the left limb was amputated.

The Nurse in IMC RVZ came across her during community visit. She now depends on a nearby church for financial support.

The kind staff and management of Royal Van Zanten flower farm raised some money to buy an prosthetic leg for Prossy. The Hope Physiotherapy Charity at IHK provided the rehabilitative physio treatment she needed to learn how to walk with her new leg. Thanks to all their kindness she will hopefully resume a normal life.

Below is a picture of Prossy with her new limb at IHK:

The Hope Physiotherapy Outpatient Clinic has been operating since October 2008 for a total of eighteen months. This service is based at the physiotherapy department at International Hospital Kampala (IHK). The referrals in this period have continued to come from a wide variety of sources including Hope Ward, Watoto Children’s Home, Noah’s Arc Children’s Home, and RVZ clinic.

Patients who accessed Hope Physiotherapy Outpatient Clinic in the previous quarter received treatment for a variety of conditions including:

Management of cerebral palsy and developmental delays
Management of contractures through the supply of splints and hydrotherapy
Management of old burn injuries
Gait re-education following supply of lower limb prosthesis in an above knee amputee

In January 2010 there were eleven patients treated a total of sixteen times as part of the Hope Physiotherapy Outpatient Clinic. One patient required financial assistance for transportation to allow access to IHK for treatment for a total of 5,000UGX.

In February 2010 there were six patients treated a total of thirteen times. Financial assistance provision of adjustable leg splints was provided to one patient at a cost of 100,000UGX.

In March 2010 there were eleven patients treated a total of twenty times.

Work will be done in the next quarter to recruit new patients from different sources within Uganda to ensure that we are able to provide high quality rehabilitation to patients who can not afford it.

Here’s an update on one of the patients being treated:

Benon is a 19 year old boy from Nsambya. He was admitted to Hope Ward in April 2009 with severe anaemia and despite numerous blood transfusions ended up being transferred to the Intensive Care Unit where he required a tracheostomy and the support of a ventilator to breath. Despite this he continued to have low levels of oxygen in his blood and as a result suffered a hypoxic brain injury.

He was treated daily by the physiotherapy team initially to assist him to clear his chest and later to teach him how to sit again.  Throughout physiotherapy, even when he was acutely unwell, he maintained his motivated attitude and his smiley personality. After some weeks he was weaned off the ventilator and transferred back to Hope Ward. On Hope Ward his walking was very uncoordinated and he required assistance from the physiotherapist; he was at times anxious about falling.

In May 2009 when he was medically fit he was discharged from hospital.   At this time he was able to walk with assistance of his mother and a wheeled walking frame.   He required assistance to stand from a chair and with his washing and dressing

Benon has been attending outpatient physiotherapy through the Hope Physiotherapy Outpatient Clinic since June 2009.   His balance and co-ordination continue to improve; he is now able to sit unsupported to wash and dress himself.   He can stand from a chair using a frame for support, and his walking is more coordinated such that he can now use a 3 wheeled rollator to walk with close supervision.   He also no longer fears falling as he has been taught how to get himself up from the floor if he does fall.

Recently his therapist decided that Benon would benefit from exercise within a pool to help control his uncoordinated shaking in walking. This week he attended his first hydrotherapy session where his abilities in the pool impressed himself and the team.   Benon reports he really enjoyed the water as he used to swim prior to his admission and is looking forward to his next session.

Benon’s ultimate goal is to return to boarding school and we are working with him to set goals to assist him to achieve this.

“On a recent visit to IHK I met physiotherapists Alex, Irene and Charlotte (Charlie), and saw the Hope Physiotherapy Outpatient Clinic in action. The clinic, funded by Suubi Trust, offers physiotherapy to patients who would otherwise be unable to afford it. Each patient is initially offered 8 sessions of treatment: if further improvement is considered likely at the end of this time, then some further sessions might be arranged.

Amongst those currently benefitting from the outpatient clinic are Bethany and Anitah, both from the Watoto Children’s Home.

Bethany, who has cerebral palsy, is making good progress in learning to walk.

Anitah, who has developmental delay in a number of areas, is being encouraged to crawl and stand.”

The medical staff estimate he is around one year old. He has failed to develop functionally and is unable to sit, roll or crawl. His movement is limited as a result of spending too long in one position. He has responded well to feeding and now has more energy and a loud cry.

Enock stays at the orphanage with around 90 other children and has attendants who assist with his care and development. He is coming to physiotherapy once a week for treatment and to teach his carers how to facilitate his functional development at home.

Christine is a 15 year old girl who suffered extensive burns to her arms, face and torso when the paraffin she was using to light the stove spilt on her clothes and caught alight. She has undergone multiple surgeries including skin grafts and contracture release. We met Christine when she was admitted to Hope Ward after her most recent contracture release.

Christine has severely restricted range of movement and weakness of the muscles at her right shoulder, elbow and neck. She is attending physiotherapy twice a week for rehabilitation. Christine’s mother stays at home to look after her brothers and sisters and her father has retired from work in the public service.

Christine has recently moved in with her aunt so she can attend a night class in computer skills and hopes to return to school next year. She wishes to be able to return to helping her mother by cooking a meal for her family and fetching water from the well.

At the last count Sine has raised at least £300.

After hearing about what was involved we’re very surprised that she doesn’t need physio as a result. This also seems to be a very interesting take on the word “Half”

Here’s what Sine has to say about it…

It was the Half Ireman Triathlon in Groomsport, Co Down. It involved a 2km swim, followed by a 93km cycle and a 21km (half-marathon)run.

It was a tough course, with the swim distance ending up extra-long and rougher than expected, the cycle stretching to 96km, and the run course taking us over marsh, beach, and rocks. I was very happy finishing in a time of 6 hours 50 mins, and 5th in my age category.

Well done Sine and thanks for supporting Suubi Trust.

Here’s some photos…

That's Sine in the pink cap...

Sine, on the right, at the finish

The Hope Physiotherapy Outpatient Clinic service was developed over 2008 to provide necessary ongoing rehabilitation to those patients who were unable to fund it themselves. The clinic began admitting patients in October and, with the assistance of funding from the Suubi Trust, the clinic has 20 available appointment slots each month offered to eligible patients free of charge. There is a small budget for equipment and travel expenses associated with patient treatment.

In the month of October, four patients have attended the clinic for which 18 treatment sessions have been completed. Two of these patients have required financial assistance for their travel to and from appointments totaling 70,000UGX. Equipment for rehabilitation has been provided to two of these patients totaling 31,800UGX. Three patients await review at a later date.

Jo was volunteering at IHK for 1 year, on sabbatical from her post as a Senior II physiotherapist at Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Greenock, Scotland. Since joining the team in October 2007, the main focus had been to develop the Physiotherapy in-patient service and promote sustainability of the Physiotherapy Department at IHK.

Having successfully achieved the above, Jo then set herself the challenge of setting up a charity funded clinic to provide care for patients in need of long term physio care.

Jo has now returned to the UK and the clinic has started.

Fiona Grant, a VSO volunteer Physiotherapist currently working on Hope Ward at IHK, sends this message to fellow Physios and friends:

We would welcome your support for a charity funded physiotherapy clinic at IHK, treating patients with complex, long-term rehabilitation needs, who cannot afford to finance such treatment independently. Suubi Trust has agreed to meet our costs for the first 6 months to get us started. It costs just £20 per month to provide weekly treatment for a patient and to meet their travel and equipment costs.  Please consider helping…

You can read more about this on our web site at this link:

Physiotherapy at Hope Ward.