From March 27 to April 2, 2022, HealthRight in Uganda, in partnership with Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, organized a Surgical Camp where 208 LRA war survivors underwent medical and surgical procedures at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital. Among them, fifty-seven patients, male and female, have benefitted mainly from surgical procedures. Patients were primarily from the Districts of Amuria and Kalaki. The camp was officiated by the Mayor of Soroti city, Joshua Edogu.
For decades, victims of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) were left with severe health care needs that prevailed long after the LRA left the region. The LRA is a rebel group that originated in northern Uganda and whose acts of violence caused the displacement of 95% of the Acholi population in three districts of northern Uganda.
In Uganda, with funding from the Trust Fund for Victims, we work to provide comprehensive physical and psychological rehabilitation services for these survivors of armed conflict. In 2021, over 2,900 victims of war underwent physical rehabilitation through our project, including undergoing reconstructive surgeries to remedy facial, head, and burn injuries of screened and identified victims. Since the beginning of the project, 36,130 community members have been sensitized and educated about the services offered by HealthRight.
The positive influence of our most recent surgical camp brought increasing attention, being featured on Ugandan national TV, NTV Uganda. “I have long been praying for well wishes to come and save me. I am now extremely happy,” reflected Teddy Kakiror, a resident of the Kalaki district, in the news report.
Samuel Tukei, our Uganda Country Director, remarked that there is still work to be done in the country as they reconstruct after a long civil war. In Uganda, we will continue to strive so that victims of the war and their families overcome harm, lead a dignified life, and contribute toward reconciliation and peace-building within their communities.
To see the NTVNews reporting on HealthRight’s surgical camp, watch the full recording here.
