Kateba is a 66-year-old man who lives with his wife in Uganda. He is the father of five children—two boys and three girls—who are all grown up and self-employed and live with their own families. Kateba and his wife are farmers who cultivate food for both home consumption and for sale.
About seven years ago, Kateba noticed swelling in a sensitive area, but he was scared to tell his children. He started using local herbs, but the swelling increased. In 2013, he decided to go the regional referral hospital and was diagnosed with bilateral hydrocele. The doctor recommended surgery, but Kateba had no money to pay for the procedure.
A hydrocele is a sac of watery fluid that causes swelling in the groin. While hydroceles may occur at any age, the cause of their development is generally unknown.
Now, Kateba has come to our medical partner’s care center, Holy Family Virika Hospital, for surgical treatment of the hydrocele. During the operation, the surgeon will make a small incision to remove the sac of fluid and then use stitches to close the path so that no more fluid can accumulate.
Kateba and his wife were affected by the long dry season, leaving them unable to harvest as much as usual and making it difficult to support themselves financially. Watsi’s medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF), requests $185 to pay for the hydrocele repair, as well as three nights in the hospital, an ultrasound, lab tests, and medicine for Kateba. His surgery is scheduled for August 9.
“After surgery,” shares Kateba, “I [will] have peace of mind.” He looks forward to resuming his work on the farm with his wife.