A Mother’s Long Wait for Her Son’s Surgery
For the last five years, Lillian Tali, a resident of Barr Sub-County in Lira District, has been in and out of hospitals with her son, Atim, who developed a hernia at just one year old.
Hernias occur when a weak spot in the abdominal muscles allows internal tissue to bulge out. They commonly appear either as umbilical hernias around the belly button or inguinal hernias in the groin.
Atim has been surviving on medication and missing school frequently, especially when the hernia gets incarcerated and causes him severe pain. Doctors at Bar Health Centre III advised that he could only undergo surgery after turning five.
Now aged six, Atim is among 96 children scheduled for surgery during an ongoing children’s surgical camp at Lira Regional Referral Hospital (LRRH), organised in partnership with the international charity Love Without Boundaries (LWB) Uganda. Tali is hopeful that the procedure will finally restore her son’s health and allow him to live a normal childhood.
Over 400 Surgeries and Counting
Since the camp began last week, 414 children have undergone operations, while more than 2,000 have been screened. The two-week initiative, which closes this Friday, is targeting 600 surgeries.
Dr. Andrew Odur, Acting Director of LRRH, said the camp is a lifeline for many children born with birth defects who suffer silently. “If a child has a huge hernia in the groin or extending to the scrotum, they’re going to be in pain most of the time,” he noted.
The overwhelming turnout has led to congestion at the hospital, but the pediatric surgical team has documented all patients and pledged to continue routine surgeries after the camp.
Hope and Relief for Families
For families, the camp is nothing short of a miracle. Lydia Alwedo, whose younger brother received a successful hernia operation, expressed joy at accessing free, timely care.
Dr. Charles Newton Odongo, a pediatric surgeon at Lira Hospital, said while hernias are the main focus, other conditions such as undescended testis and imperforate anus have also been managed. More than 90% of the children operated on have already been discharged, with follow-up care scheduled at the hospital’s pediatric clinic.
Ronald Ssejjuuko, Country Director of LWB Uganda, explained that Lango was chosen due to its high unmet surgical need. He appealed for more support, saying such large-scale camps are resource-intensive but critical for giving children a second chance at life.
Legislators Call for Sustainable Funding
As the Lira camp highlights the urgent demand for surgical interventions, legislators from the West Nile sub-region are pushing for government to mainstream such initiatives into the national budget.
Dr. Charles Ayume (Koboko Municipality) urged the Ministry of Health to allocate funds for surgical camps annually, reducing the dependence on donor fundraising. Speaking at Parliament on 20th August 2025, ahead of the upcoming West Nile Surgical Camp, he said:
“If government puts this as a recurrent cost in the health budget, we will reduce the backlog. Communities should not have to wait 15 years for their turn, or fundraise for what should be an essential health service.”
One of Africa’s Largest Surgical Camps Planned
The Association of Surgeons of Uganda (ASOU) held the West Nile camp from 20th–27th September 2025 across 13 districts. Professor Moses Galukande, ASOU President, said the initiative will be one of the largest in Africa, building on the 2024 Ankole camp.
More than 10,000 patients will be screened, and about 2,500 free surgeries performed in specialties including neurosurgery, orthopedics, pediatrics, ENT, eye care, and cancer screening. A team of 10,000 specialists and 650 volunteer health workers has been assembled, alongside outreach to 6,000 schoolchildren for dental, hearing, and musculoskeletal screenings.
Professor Galukande stressed that while operations are free, each surgery costs about UGX480,000 in logistics and supplies. “Surgeons and nurses don’t charge. The money is for transporting, feeding, and accommodating teams. We also stay for 30 days post-surgery for follow-up, because complications, though rare, must be managed,” he explained.
West Nile’s Unique Burden
West Nile, home to nearly four million people, also hosts about one million refugees from South Sudan, DRC, and CAR, further straining the health system. George Bokha (Obongi County), President of the West Nile Parliamentary Caucus, said the camp is a rare opportunity for the region:
“It takes 15 years for a sub-region to be revisited. With our double burden of disease and refugee influx, this is timely.”
Dr. Ayume urged district health officers to compile all surgical cases in preparation. “We are bringing the best surgeons in Uganda to the region. Let’s ensure no patient who needs help is left behind.”
From Lira to West Nile, surgical camps are proving to be a lifeline for thousands who would otherwise miss out on life-saving care. But as legislators and surgeons agree, without consistent government funding, such initiatives will remain sporadic, leaving many more Ugandans waiting in pain.
