Muwonge needs Shs250m after ICU treatment

On 15 October, 2021, 9-year-old Umar Muwonge stepped on a nail while he was playing with his friends. At first, it seemed a small wound that could be treated, and he got back to his whole life.

His grandmother Mary Nakasi, a resident of Bunamwaya, Makindye saabagabo treated the wound by daily cleaning it with warm water and salt and within a week, it had healed.

Muwonge continued going to school with his friends but would tell his grandmother about pain in the legs and chest but he would walk. One day, as he went to school, he collapsed on the way and the friends lifted him back home.

“At first I thought it was a fever so I took him to Nsambya Hospital. There, he was on treatment for two days but there was no improvement. He was convulsing, crying of pain all the time and his whole body had stiffened,” the grandmother recalls.

When the doctors did further tests on Muwonge, the exams revealed that he had tetanus and that he needed immediate treatment from another hospital with a private ICU bed required for tetanus patients since they react to slight noise and light.

“He was then referred to TMR International Hospital where the doctors said that he had to be treated under complete silence so they induced him to be in a coma and therefore needed to be in the Intensive Care Unit(ICU). He also had to be put on oxygen because he was unable to breathe,” she recalls.

For 50 days, Muwonge was in an induced coma and fortunately, he is now out of the ICU and needed physiotherapy because his hands, legs, back and neck had not been in use for quite some time and had become paralyzed.

Through all the time, Muwonge’s hospital bill has accumulated to shs 250m and his mother had gone to work in the UAE but had to return before the end of her contract and she and her family are unable to raise the money. “It is upon this background that I request the public to help support my grandson. We have tried to solicit funds from the family members but have failed to get the money.”

For financial support, please send to 0775160922 or 0706332187 Lydia Nakayi For those that can use visa cards and Paypal, the link is https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-umar-to-see-another-day