Derek Johnson with CURE International says their children's hospital is feeling the impact.
The CURE Children's Hospital of Uganda (CCHU) in Mbale, Uganda, is a 30-bed teaching hospital specializing in treating the neurosurgical needs of children with an emphasis on hydrocephalus, neural tube defects, spina bifida, epilepsy and brain tumors. CCHU also maintains a large outpatient clinic and operates monthly mobile clinics in remote regions.
When they first began in 2000, the cases they saw were severe. However, Johnson says awareness and education have helped catch the disorders earlier. New research is underway to determine the causes of hydrocephalus that are linked to the rural areas.
But all of this work and the expansions CURE is working toward in 2009 are threatened by the disastrous economic situation around the world.
In Uganda, poverty is growing once more. "We've seen around 15 to 16 percent inflation for 2008, which is the highest on record since they started recording inflation in Uganda. That's mostly with fuel, food and other household goods."
Since 1986, Uganda has transformed from a nearly-failed state to a country that has achieved consistently high economic growth rates. Unfortunately, income inequality and a high population growth rate have negated the positive growth.
With the devaluation of their money, increasing unemployment and higher costs, some families will have to make a difficult choice between their survival and a needed surgery to correct a disability.
However, Johnson says they serve those who need their help, regardless of their ability to pay. The operations can be life-changing in more ways than one. "The number one thing I hear is how much our staff treats them with respect, love and compassion. That makes an impact on people, and they will want to understand more about why this hospital is different from other hospitals in Uganda. That's a great gate for the Gospel because that gives us a chance -- our spiritual team as well as our staff -- to share, 'Here's who we are as Christian men and women.'"
That's the good news. The bad news is that with the rising inflation, funds don't stretch very far. Donations are down, too.
CCHU has 30 in-patient beds and 10 intensive care beds and maintains a busy out-patient clinic. They operate mobile medical clinics that find hundreds of children who are suffering from disabilities in remote areas and whenever possible, transports the children back to the hospital for care. Click here if you can help.
