“Atuhaire is a sweet and talkative little boy,” says our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation (AMHF). The two-year-old lives with his mother in Uganda.
Atuhaire was born with an inguinal hernia. “A week after delivery, Atuhaire’s mother noticed his scrotal [sac] was swelling whenever he coughed,” AMHF explains. “The baby kept crying most of the time. Atuhaire’s mother took him to the hospital where she was advised to wait until the baby turns three months and see what happens.”
Three months afterwards, Atuhaire’s mother returned to the hospital and learned that surgical intervention would be required to treat her son’s condition.
An inguinal hernia causes an abnormal protrusion in the groin area. Oftentimes, this leads to immediate symptoms such as an enlarged scrotal sac and discomfort. As he continues to develop, Atuhaire’s condition can pose further health complications, including intestinal obstruction.
As a single parent without a constant income, Atuhaire’s mother does not have the money to afford her son’s treatment.
For $220, Authaire will undergo a hernia repair surgery to treat his condition. The affected tissue will be returned to its proper position, reducing the swelling and pressure in the area after a single surgery.
AMHF states, “We expect that after the treatment, Atuhaire will no longer be in pain and the swelling will go away. He will no longer be at risk or intestinal obstruction, incarceration, or strangulation.”
“My child has pain but I am unable to pay for his treatment,” Atuhaire’s mother shares. “Since I had him I have not been able to work. I will be very grateful if I am helped to get treatment for him.”