Mildmay Institute of Health Sciences Supports Children with Special Needs

To aid rehabilitation of children with special needs, Mildmay Uganda, with support from the Netherland government and working with the Government of Uganda has handed over basic rehabilitation kits to various health care facilities in the Mubende region.

The activity that is being spearheaded by a team from the Mildmay Institute of Health Sciences under the Safe Motherhood and Child Disability Rehabilitation Project will see over 400 children spread across health centers in the region benefit from the week-long exercise.

Receiving the kits on behalf of the Luweero Health Office, Acting District Health Officer, - Maternal and Child Health, Sr. Florence Namuyanja (pictured above left) thanked Mildmay Uganda for always supporting the district in its efforts to support children with disabilities.

“It’s great the support Mildmay offers the various health centers in the district,” she said. “These materials that they bring in are very vital in improving the wellbeing of these children, yet are not readily available in homes and hospitals. So, when they are brought in, they serve a great purpose to the society as regards rehabilitating children with special needs.”

Living with a disability is life limiting, very expensive and impoverishing households and individuals. In Uganda, the population with one and more disabilities, 2 years and above contributes to 12.4% of the national population according to the national census that was conducted in 2014 (UBOS 2014). This translates to almost 5 million people with disability, 2 years and above in the country. Many children (more than 50% of children) born with birth defects in Uganda and Africa in general don’t survive to see their first birth day. This is mainly due to negative social-cultural norms surrounding disability, inadequate knowledge on causes, prevention and mitigation interventions by the mothers and the general community. This is complicated by the inaccessible disability care (Physical access, affordability and availability) at all levels including community levels for Community Disability Rehabilitation (CDR).

About the Safe Motherhood and Child Disability Project:

Since its inception in 2019, the Safe-motherhood and Child disability Project has set out to build multi-level capacity for increased access to skilled birth attendance, child disability detection and rehabilitation services across 4 districts of Mubende, Mityana, Kassanda and Luweero in central Uganda.

In this period, the Project has trained 71 (41 in-services and 30 Pre-service) midwives/Nurses in early birth defects detection and CBR (60 facilities with Referral directory), and 63 VHTs in Birth Defects/Disability case identification, referral and follow up for CDR services. Also, 63 VHTs have been trained in making home-made assistive devices using locally available materials, and information and management of family support groups.

40 households have in this period been assessed and trained in Income Generating Activity (IGA) by the local artisans, with all 40 supported with start-up kits. 252 targeted home visits to challenge Child disability related stigma and discrimination have also been conducted, and seen the formation of 24 Family support groups established, that hold monthly sessions to discuss ow better families can better lives of respective children living with disabilities.

In the process, 408 children with disability have been detected, 216 at maternity and 192 beyond maternity. The Project has facilitated correction of 240 birth defects at health facility level – extra digits and bowl legs, with 16 children with disability referred for assistive devices.