By Victoria Bugembe Nampala
Rotarians marked World Polio Day in Bweyogerere with renewed calls for childhood immunisation, improved health services and support for people living with polio-related disabilities.
The October 24 event, held at Bweyogerere Health Centre III in Kireku under the theme “One Day, One Focus: Ending Polio for Good,” brought together Rotary clubs of Bweyogerere Namboole, Najjera, Manyagwa, Kira and Nakwero, alongside health officials and community leaders.
Rotary District 9213 Governor Gerald Obai presided over the event, which highlighted the need to sustain vaccination and strengthen community health services.
Governor Gerald Obai with different Rotary Club presidents whose clubs participated in the commemoration of Wolrld Polio day on saturday 24th
Polio is a highly infectious disease that mainly affects children under five. It can cause irreversible paralysis, and there is no cure. However, vaccination can prevent it. The World Health Organisation estimates that about one in 200 infections results in irreversible paralysis.
Since 1988, wild poliovirus cases have declined by more than 99%. Transmission remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, while outbreaks of vaccine-derived poliovirus underline the need for high vaccination coverage.
Through its PolioPlus programme, Rotary has supported vaccination campaigns, community mobilisation and advocacy to help eradicate the disease.
Immunisation remains key
Lillian Bakko, president of the Rotary Club of Bweyogerere Namboole, urged Rotarians to support health services in the communities where they operate.
“Fellow Rotarians, we can do this again and over again. Let’s check out the pocket change and make our community better through quality health care services,” Bakko said.
Dr Keneth Mugume, a public health and epidemiology professional working with Uganda’s National Expanded Programme on Immunisation, urged parents to ensure their children complete their vaccination schedules.
“It’s a precious gift a parent can give to a child when they get immunised and complete the schedule,” Mugume said, adding that parents should return to health workers if a child misses a dose.
Governor Gerald Obai with different Rotary Club presidents whose clubs participated in the commemoration of Wolrld Polio day on saturday 24th
Health centre seeks upgrade
Mugume said Bweyogerere Health Centre III was expected to be upgraded to a Health Centre IV to expand services for the growing population.
Dr Samuel Mukasa, principal municipal medical officer in Kira Municipality, said the facility handles a heavy patient load and that the upgrade could improve service delivery and create employment opportunities.
Bweyogerere Mayor Dickson Hakiza said the centre was overwhelmed, forcing some patients to seek services at other facilities, including in Goma, Mukono district. He said referrals could be dangerous for pregnant women and critically ill patients when an ambulance was unavailable.
Dr Samuel Mukasa, principal municipal medical officer in Kira Municipality
Local leaders asked Rotary to help lobby for an ambulance. Obai encouraged the club to prepare a grant application covering an ambulance and medical equipment for the planned upgrade.
Survivor recounts journey after surgery
Valentine Okello, a retired reverend of Namirembe Diocese, used the occasion to highlight the continuing struggles of polio survivors who need mobility aids and rehabilitation.
Born in Tororo District in 1955, Okello had a weak, bent right leg from childhood. He depended on a walking stick and could not wear ordinary shoes. Despite discouragement from people who believed educating a child with a disability was a waste of money, his father, Domiciano Zedekia Oana Onyangu Dalit, insisted he attend school.
“I remember my father because he kept a deaf ear to all that they were telling him,” Okello said.
In 1969, while studying at Jinja College, the late headteacher, Reverend Father Joseph Johns, noticed his difficulties and took him to Jinja Hospital. A doctor recommended corrective surgery to straighten his leg and improve his walking.
When his parents were unavailable to sign the consent papers, the headteacher consulted the doctor and signed on his behalf. Okello woke after the operation with his leg in a plaster cast. After treatment, he was fitted with a caliper, a brace that helped him stand and walk.
The surgery, medication and mobility appliance were provided free. In 1970, he wore his first pair of shoes, bought by his parents.
“But the appliances that I need for walking were free, and they continued to be given free,” he recalled.
He said access to orthopaedic services and replacement calipers became increasingly difficult as workshops faced shortages and support declined. Today, the cost of a brace, together with transport to specialised services, places a heavy burden on people with disabilities.
“The struggle of a person with a disability in Uganda is a calamitous one. It is one without dignity,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Okello obtained a Bachelor of Divinity from Uganda Christian University and served in ministry. He once relied on a modified motor scooter to travel to church and carry out his duties, but says he can no longer manage it as he once did.
He is calling for affordable calipers, accessible orthopaedic services and practical support for polio survivors.
“I speak from my heart, from a crying, bleeding heart of neglect and betrayal,” he said.
World Polio Day is observed annually on October 24 to raise awareness of efforts to eradicate the disease. Rotary and its partners continue to urge families to complete childhood immunisation, while advocates say those already affected by polio must also receive care and support to live with dignity.
