By Elijah Khisa
Corsu Rehabilitation Hospital along Entebbe Road has revealed that it has conducted more than 7,000 free complex surgical operations for children with disabilities, giving beneficiaries hope and a new lease on life.
The hospital also provided more than 100,000 rehabilitation-related services by the end of 2025, including artificial limbs, mental health education, child health sensitisation campaigns, physiotherapy, assistive technology devices, counselling and medication, among others.
The revelations were made on Sunday, October 4, 2026, by the hospital’s board president, Eng. Victor Odongo, who was represented by Joseph Mutasaaga, during the climax of the Corsu Rehabilitation Hospital Disability Walk 2026 held at the Makerere University Business School (MUBS) sports grounds in Nakawa Division, Kampala.
Mutasaaga said 80 percent of the more than 7,000 surgical cases involved children, whom he described as among the most vulnerable members of society and potential future leaders.
He said the hospital’s policy provides free surgery for children aged between zero and five years, while those aged five to 18 receive a 50 percent subsidy.
Mutasaaga appealed to donors and well-wishers to support Corsu Rehabilitation Hospital with MRI and CT scan equipment to enable the facility to conduct complex and critical examinations before performing surgical operations on vulnerable children.
He also called on the government to provide funding support to the hospital, saying this would enable it to conduct more surgeries for children with disabilities.
The Commissioner for Disability Affairs in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Prosper Muhumuza, said the government plans to provide free surgical operations to 30,000 children facing various disability-related medical challenges.
Muhumuza said the Ministries of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Health, and Finance, in partnership with Corsu Rehabilitation Hospital, would identify 30,000 children with different forms of disabilities to benefit from the special child disability grant programme.
He said that among the children identified as potential beneficiaries, 250 would initially receive free surgery services, starting with 25 selected districts, while others would access services such as wheelchairs, assistive devices, specialised counselling and treatment.
Muhumuza added that part of the grant would cater for renovation of the medical facility, capacity-building for medical personnel and other strategic logistical requirements.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Commissioner for Disability and Rehabilitation in the Ministry of Health, Dr Moses Muwanga, said the government had finalised a strategic framework to guide taxation policies concerning assistive technology devices, related appliances, raw materials for manufacturing medicines and drugs, and equipment used by people with disabilities.
He said the National Drug Authority (NDA) had been directed to prepare a comprehensive list of the relevant items to facilitate efforts to have them approved as tax-free commodities.
Dr Muwanga urged Corsu Rehabilitation Hospital to work with the NDA to develop the necessary technical documents to support the disability community by reducing taxes on items used by people with disabilities, which he said were often too expensive for many low-income families.
The Lord Mayor of Kampala Capital City Authority, Eng. Ronald Balimwezo, who was the chief walker at the event and is also a person with a disability, urged parents not to frustrate children born with disabilities by denying them access to specialised medical care.
Balimwezo expressed concern that some parents hide or neglect children with disabilities, denying them the opportunity to receive medical attention and develop into productive members of society.
He urged stakeholders to support Corsu Rehabilitation Hospital’s programme of providing surgical services to children with disabilities, saying everyone is potentially vulnerable to disability.
Balimwezo pledged that KCCA would work with its council to ensure that the needs of children with disabilities are included in its budget, including essential medical services and technical support, as well as identifying children who need specialised care and referring them to Corsu Rehabilitation Hospital.
He congratulated the hospital for organising the disability walk and called on stakeholders to make donations towards the programme.
Corsu Rehabilitation Hospital Chief Executive Officer Robert Otai said the facility recently held a free surgical camp as part of activities to mark its achievements. He said 148 patients attended the camp, with 18 undergoing surgery while others received different medical services.
Otai appealed to parents and communities to identify and document cases involving children with disabilities and ensure they are taken to government hospitals and other appropriate health facilities for support instead of abandoning them.
He thanked local and international development partners for their continued support to the hospital and called on more organisations and individuals to support its work.
The disability walk was supported by partners including the Ministries of Health and Gender, Labour and Social Development, DTB Bank, Centenary Bank, Christian Blind Mission (CBM), National Drug Authority, KCCA, Smile Trends and MUBS, among others.
Parents who attended the event appreciated Corsu Rehabilitation Hospital for supporting families dealing with complex medical conditions affecting their children. They encouraged other parents not to abandon children with disabilities but instead provide them with love, support and respect as they navigate their future.
