Providing life-changing healthcare and rehabilitation for children with disabilities in Uganda

More than 1 in 10 people in Uganda have a disability. Children with conditions such as clubfoot, cerebral palsy or cleft lip, or who sustain injuries like burns or fractures, often struggle to access the treatment and rehabilitation that they need because their families can’t afford to pay or specialist services aren’t available in their area.  These services can transform children’s lives – enabling them to move around without pain, communicate and access education. 80% of children with disabilities have health conditions that could be treated.

Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services of Uganda (CoRSU) is a specialist hospital established with CBM’s support in 2006. It provides affordable and quality healthcare services for people with disabilities in Uganda.

Over the next four years (2022-25), we will work with CoRSU to:

• Provide life-changing treatment and rehabilitation for children with disabilities, including conditions like osteomyelitis, clubfoot, cerebral palsy, skin and bone tumours and cleft lips and palates to enable them to fulfil their potential.
• Ensure that even the poorest families can access vital health services for their child, by covering the cost of transport to hospital for children and their carers and medicines and COVID-19 testing.
• Support outreach clinics in remote communities – in the Karamoja sub-region, 450 miles from CoRSU – so that people living far from specialist hospitals can access services.
• Promote understanding of disability and tackling stigma and misunderstanding in communities, through awareness raising sessions for community members and leaders. In some communities, disability is seen as a curse or punishment, which too often leads to children with disabilities being neglected or abused.
• Equip CoRSU with critical medical equipment (such as Vital Signs Monitors) and other essential items (including 100 blankets and 100 bedsheets) to ensure they can continue to meet the needs of the high number of patients requiring services.
• Train staff at CoRSU in additional skills, including Basic and Advanced Life Support training for surgeons, medical officers, anaesthetists and nurses and Leadership and Management training for team leaders.

Having access to CoRSU’s services can transform lives forever, promoting greater independence and ensuring all can achieve their full potential.