A six-year-old boy in Sonde, in Mukono district is set to undergo heart surgery at Mulago Hospital next week, after battling the congenital condition his entire life.
Henry Kizito was weeks ago diagnosed with an Atrial Septal Defect (hole in the heart), a condition he’s believed to have been born with.
His parents had spent millions on monthly medical bills, treating a condition they heather to were unaware of.
When all hope seemed lost, as the family faced a very expensive operation, their prayers have now been answered through Keddi Foundation, which has come out to pick up the entire operation bill.
The corrective surgery is scheduled for Thursday, August 17th at the Uganda Heart Institute, Mulago.
Speaking at the function attended by dozens of residents and Kizito’s young friends, the father Mr Nsubuga, said that for the past six years, they had not known of their son’s condition until June this year.
Through the years, he said, they were in an out of the hospital, treating what they were told were just infections.
“When he turned 6, we stopped the treatment for a while and his condition suddenly got worse. So we went to a hospital in Ntinda where we paid Shs 270,000 for a comprehensive check, and they told us our son had had a hole in his heart,” he said.
“We were then referred to Mulago Hospital where the doctors at the Heart Institute also confirmed this. They told us that we needed $10,000 for the surgery. We were also warned that if we delayed any longer, we’d have to go to India for valves to be inserted.”
Kizito’s mother Ritah said her heart sank when she was first informed of the diagnosis.
“The family called me days ago; I came and checked the paperwork and also went to Mulago and confirmed,” said Mr Kyamagero.
“So, I contacted Hon Keddi and he agreed to help.”
Mr Keddi, while speaking at the event, revealed that their intervention in this family’s situation was part of the work that the foundation is currently undertaking with support from international partners.
Of this amount he said, $ 1.2 million has been earmarked to support Ugandans in need of urgent cancer and heart treatment.
“We are doing this because we realised that the government has a lot on its hands; as you saw recently, we lost funding from the World Bank, and so we know that the government is not able to reach everyone quickly,” he said.
On his part, Charles Mutaasa Kafeero, the coordinator of Keddi Foundation called upon other Ugandans who have the ability, to join in causes like this.
“Many a time, we as Africans look to foreigners to help us in conditions like this, whe we ourselves have the potential.”
At the event, the Foundation also delivered an assortment of household items to Mr Nsubuga’s family that included mattresses and beddings, food, and scholastic materials
