Parliament donates Shs31m to children with cancer

The Clerk to Parliament, Ms Jane Kibirige, has donated Shs31 million to Kawempe Home Care, in support of children with cancer who cannot afford costs associated with treatment and care at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI).

Ms Kibirige was moved on learning that about half of the children who seek treatment at UCI in a year survive as not all can be sustained on treatment due to costs involved.

The Executive Director at New Hope Children’s Hostel, a subsidiary of Kawempe Home Care, Dr. Samuel Guma, said that many sick children stay for one or two months before abandoning treatment due to lack of food and accommodation.

“The treatment takes about 3 to 6 months on an outpatients’ basis, as a result many cannot stay for that long to complete treatment,” said Dr. Guma

He said that his organization provides food and accommodation to indigent children with cancer and their caregivers for the period required to complete treatment at the Institute.

Guma said that this has in turn unburdened UCI and parents with costs involved in cancer treatment as well as saving lives.

“We have for the past five years helped over 520 patients with food and accommodation, because we realize the big burden that parents encounter since cancer treatment for children country wide is offered only at Cancer Institute” said Guma.

Ms Kibirige commended Kawempe Home Care for their voluntary support to UCI and sick children.

“Although it [Shs31 million] is little, we give it to you to encourage you to continue offering such a good service. I am so happy to know that even during the total lock down you found a way of reaching out to patients under your care,” she said.

Parliament through its Corporate Social Responsibility hopes to reach out to many more children battling with cancer, through its continuous support to Kawempe Home Care.

“You are doing good work caring for the underprivileged in the society. In future our staff groups will visit and see the needs that children have; this is a good start of a new working relationship,” said Helen Kawesa, Parliament’s spokesperson.