Congenital Rubella Syndrome in rural Uganda
Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) occurs when a pregnant woman contracts rubella (German measles), passing the virus to her unborn baby. This can result in severe birth defects such as heart issues, deafness, cataracts, and developmental delays. In Uganda, access to vaccinations is often limited, increasing the risk of Congenital Rubella Syndrome in these communities. Vaccines…
Contractures in rural Uganda
Contractures are a condition where muscles, tendons, or other tissues become permanently shortened due to injury, burns, or prolonged immobility, causing joints to stiffen and limit movement. In rural Uganda, contractures are commonly seen as a result of untreated burn injuries or a lack of immediate medical care following accidents. Many children and adults suffer…
Neglected Tropical Diseases in Uganda
Neglected Tropical Diseases in Uganda are a serious issue. Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a group of infectious diseases that primarily affect people living in poverty, often in tropical and subtropical regions. These diseases, which include conditions such as trachoma, leprosy, and schistosomiasis, are called “neglected” because they receive less attention and resources than other…
Enlarged adenoids surgery in children
Adenoids are part of the immune system and help to trap germs that enter the body through the nose. In children, adenoids are typically larger but tend to shrink as they get older. What are enlarged adenoids? Enlarged adenoids are swollen or enlarged masses of tissue located at the back of the nasal cavity, just…
Hydrocephalus surgery in children
Hydrocephalus is a build-up of fluid on the brain, causing swelling and putting pressure on the brain, which can lead to brain damage. If left untreated, hydrocephalus can be fatal. Many of our hydrocephalus surgery in children cases involve patients with severely swollen heads, affecting their sight, speech, and movements. Surgery is the only effective…
Cataract surgery in children
Conditions such as vitamin A deficiency, harmful traditional eye remedies, congenital rubella syndrome, and glaucoma can all lead to severe visual impairment. If left untreated, these conditions are likely to result in irreversible blindness. Cataract surgery in children Cataract surgery in children is often the only option for restoring sight. However, in Uganda, treatment is…
Plastic surgery for burn injuries in children
Many Ugandan children help with cooking, keep warm, or playing near open fires, and unfortunately, accidents can happen. As a result, we see numerous children needing plastic surgery to treat burns. Unable to reach medical care children who sustain burns often have their wound wrapped in a bandage and left to heal. Not only does…
How is Humanity Direct helping end unaffordable medical care?
In many low and middle-income countries, the official policy is that all surgical care at Government hospitals is to be delivered for free. The reality though is somewhat different with patients often having to pay hidden ‘out of pocket’ costs. Patients can be charged for instruments used during surgery, the hospital stay, medications and follow-up…
Are donations charged a transaction fee?
We use Paypal and World Remit to transfer your donations. All the transaction and money fees are paid for separately by money received from Gift Aid, not your donations. Therefore the entirety of your donation goes to our efforts in Uganda.