Visit to Cure Neurosurgical Hospital Mbale, Uganda

Last week we had the privilege of visiting Cure Hospital in Mbale, Uganda. One of Ekisa's patients who suffers from hydrocephalus began to show signs of a blocked shut and was rushed up to Cure for emergency surgery. For those unfamiliar, Hydrocephalus is the over accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain which leads to swelling, increased cranial pressure and probable death if not dealt with. To correct Hydrocephalus, neurosurgeons insert a shunt (drain tube) through the skull, into the brain that drains the excess fluid into the abdomen. For some unknown reason, rates of Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida are significantly higher in East Africa compared to most places in the world. Prior to Cure Hospital, patients and parents in Sub-Saharan Africa had little hope of a cure.

Jenna needed to travel to Cure to check on her patient and to bring a change of clothes and some goodies to our little buddy and the wonderful Ekisa momma that was staying with him so we elected to go as a family. While there we were given a quick tour of the campus by a Cure volunteer. I was amazed at the level of care they are able to provide their patients. Neurosurgeons from all over the world come to Uganda to train with the surgeons at Cure.

Patient Ward

Operating Room

Intensive Care Unit

Exam Room

Clinic

Chapel

Play Room

Mission Statement

A little about Cure:


Cure International was founded in 1996 by Dr. C. Scott and Sally Harrision. For a decade prior, the Harrison's would frequently travel to Mulawi where Dr. Harrison, an Orthopedic Surgeon, would perform spine surgery and teach orthopedic surgery to local doctors. Seeing the immense need in developing countries, the Harrison's founded Cure International as an opportunity to meet the physical and spiritual needs in Eastern Africa. Two years later the first Cure Hospital was opened in Kijabe, Kenya. Through Cure, patients are able to receive medical care regardless of their background, nationality, religion or ability to pay.

Fast forward to today: Cure Hospitals operate in eight countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Zambia, United Arab Emirates, Philippines and Uganda). All locations with exception to Uganda specializes in orthopedic surgery.

The hospital in Mbale, Uganda was founded in 2000 by Dr. Benjamin Warf. Dr. Warf, a Harvard trained neurosurgeon, moved to Uganda in 2000 with his wife and four children to start the first and only neurosurgery center in Sub-Saharan Africa. While in Uganda, Dr. Warf developed a novel approach to Hydrocephalus Shunt placement that did not require the same expense and post operation monitoring as surgeries performed with modern medicine. To date, over 17,000 children have been treated for hydrocephalus at Cure Uganda and surgeons in more than 20 countries have been trained by the neurosurgeons at Cure Uganda. Currently, the all Ugandan staff performs over 1200 pediatric neurosurgical operations each year.

https://cure.org/uganda/