Alinaitwe is an eight-month-old, very sweet baby boy from Uganda.
Two weeks after delivery Alinaitwe’s mother noticed his left scrotal was bigger than the right one. When she touched him she realized the right scrotal was empty. But after some time the right testis started appearing and disappearing. Now the right testis is painful; he cries when it is touched and when he is dressed in diapers.
Alinaitwe’s mother couldn’t sleep when her child cried, so she took him to a health center where she was told that he had no sickness. Still, she knew something was wrong and wanted to take him to a hospital, but she didn’t have the money. Later, his mother was advised by the Catechist at the family church to take Alinaitwe to Virika Hospital for further diagnosis and assistance.
There, he was diagnosed with right retractile testis and if not treated, he will continue experiencing pain and discomfort. He will need to undergo orchidoplexy, a $200 surgery to move an undescended testicle into the scrotum and permanently fix it there.
Alinaitwe has three older siblings. His father is a peasant and his mother is a casual laborer. Both his mother and father have low income which is not enough for all the family needs. After Alinaitwe’s surgery, his mother hopes to have peace of mind and continue looking after her children without worrying about his condition.