Father of five disappears after last born developed heart defect

MASAKA. A 38-year-old mother from Kyango village, Nkenge parish, Kasaali Sub County in Kyotera District is stranded with her five children after the husband disappeared upon receiving information that his last born, a daughter, developed a heart defect.

Ms Justine Namulindwa, the mother of the nine-month-old Poline Namugabo and four others says it is now two months since the husband Patrick Kasumba disappeared and switched off his known telephone numbers.

“Her (Namugabo’s) condition is getting worse, and the time for surgery is lapsing but my husband abandoned me; my daughter’s condition cannot allow me to work anymore and the rest of my four children are also looking at me for survival,” Ms Namulindwa told this reporter at Daily Monitor’s office in Masaka.

The ostensibly miserable mother has been carrying her baby and the medical forms from St Mugagga-Kabaseke clinic and Uganda Heart Institute where she was referred upon discovering two holes on the baby’s heart at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital.

The little child was discovered with both atrial septal (ASD) and a ventricular septal defect (VSD) in her heart prompting her referral to Narayana Hrudalayala hospital in India for surgery before she makes fifteen months on earth, according to medical documents singed by Dr Judith Namuyonga and Dr Dorah Nampijja both paediatricians/cardiologists, copies of which were seen by this publication.

“I have tried all politicians in our area but all my efforts have yielded nothing. It’s even depressing to see her cough. She also gets challenges with breathing. There are times I have thought she’s going to die in my laps. I am going to keep moving and requesting for every kind of help I can get. I cannot watch my daughter die helplessly. At least I will die trying,” she said.

If Namugabo is to survive beyond the medically prescribed date [February], she needs at least Shs28, 120, 000 which is about $7, 500.

Of the required sum, Ms Namulindwa says she has only managed to save for the passport after spending most of what she had on transport from Kyotera to Kampala to buy drugs that her daughter takes to survive.

She spends about Shs40, 000 on transport alone, however, she revealed that she spends another Shs50, 000 on medical examination and about Shs50, 000 for buying drugs monthly.

Her appeal to the government is considering full installation of the Uganda heart institute to save children experiencing similar conditions without having to spend much.

Ms Namulindwa can be reached on 0757107730 for assistance.

Bank Account details
No: 3201958052 (Centenary bank)
Name: Namugabo Poline