Health Care Needs for children with Disabilities By Patriciah Roy Akullo Katalemwa Cheshire Home for Rehabilitation Services Founded in 1970

KCH Introduction & Facts Over 1.2 million children have moderate and severe disabilities in Uganda (UBOS 2002). The Uganda National Housing Survey 2005/6 indicates that 80% of children with disabilities live in absolute poverty. Poverty and cultural beliefs is closely related to disability in our society Less than 20% of families with a child with a disability can afford their rehabilitation needs. More than 80% of disabilities in developing countries like Uganda are as a result preventable causes including like poverty, attitudes and practices with regard to disability being shaped by ignorance, cultural beliefs and customs.

KCH Introduction & Facts Research has also indicated that poverty accounts for 58% of disability causes in Africa. Retarded growths, post burn contractures, osteomyelitis, among others are also common with children in poor families Households. Due to limited finances children with disabilities are not able to go for specialized rehabilitation services. Those who try, end up not completing the rehabilitation cycle leading to a relapse. As a result, children with disabilities have ended up with multiple disabilities due to poor management.

KCH Health Care Needs Needs vary depending on the degree of the disability and the under lying cause of it. 1.Medical and Medical Rehabilitation needs Assessment support Access to drugs i.e. for children with mental health disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Therapies i.e. Occupational and physiotherapy. 2. Assistive device support Mobility Appliance i.e. white canes, Wheelchairs Support Appliance i.e. Eye Glasses, hearing aids, catheters Rehabilitation Devices i.e. Walking frames, crutches

KCH Health Care Needs 3 Reproductive Health needs Deaf –Visually Impaired Girls under going monthly periods Sex education: Who educates the visually impaired and those with hearing loss? 4.Maternal Health Needs Antenatal care for Child mothers still lacking 5. HIV/AIDS Information concerning use of protection and other family planning methods Information about HIV&AIDS is not translated to carter for all categories of disability

KCH Health Care Needs Urinal Tract Infections Children with mobility challenges especially those that crawl to access sanitary systems. Other Diseases Mysterious Nodding Disease Growth is stunted completely and permanently. The growth of the brain is also stunted, leading to mental retardation of the affected individual. Sever Epileptic seizers

KCH Health Care Needs

KCH Access to ART is a challenge, Psycho-social support among those with hearing impairment. 3. Economic Needs Money for basic needs i.e. drugs, food, shelter Resources to generate income 4. Psycho-Social needs Counsel for sanity purposes i.e. Teenage CWDs Absence of caregivers Information Inclusion

KCH Success story/Learning How possible is it for CSO’S?

KCH In Mandate with The 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)as the first binding instrument in international law which stipulate the need for the rights of children with disabilities to be respected just like the other children and even calls for placement of favorable measures to this effect… (Article 23-CRC).

Support strategy Addressing abject poverty i.e. through livelihoods support to increase household income Teaching in activities of Daily living (ADL) through the early childhood learning centre. Attitude change campaigns through advocacy and awareness campaigns Psycho-social support Medical rehabilitation i.e. Therapy and Surgery. Community and Home Based care programmes

Awareness campaigns

Assistive device support

Economic Needs

Remarks Can we let the children do the talking? Can we do the hard service delivery and accord necessary support?

8 Km Gayaza Road, Mpererwe P.O Box Kampala Uganda Tel: