A substitute orthopaedic camp in August

Even though the orthopaedic camp for August was cancelled, several patients turned up for care but were unable to pay. Because of our absence, it was difficult to let them down so we discussed the most important cases between the local orthopaedic surgeon (Asaph) and his mentor (Dr Georges Kohut) who was passing by in Switzerland. After collecting all the data, especially X-rays before and after surgery, we decided to pay for the 11 operations that were done.

Two children in awful trouble were helped this summer:

V’s case:

In November 2025, during our last orthopaedic camp, V, a 7-year-old boy, had to be amputated below the knee for open multiple fractures complicated by osteomyelitis of the left tibia, the infection extending most probably to the femur.

The history obtained was that he had an abscess on the leg for five months and that the parents, thinking it was witchcraft, always took him for prayer. When the abscess burst spontaneously, the bone was exposed: He was taken to another teaching hospital where he was diagnosed with chronic osteomyelitis and malnutrition. He was started on “ready to use therapeutic food “ and some unknown antibiotics During that time the orthopaedic camp was ongoing in BCH. Having heard about the camp, they decided to bring the child to Bwindi Community Hospital.

He was then found to have a dysplastic hip on the same side. The infection was so extensive that the only means of saving the child was an amputation.

Six months later, he was back at the hospital with an infected clavicle on the other side making it very difficult to move around with the two canes provided. He is now diagnosed with multifocal osteomyelitis….

After an extensive video talk with the orthopaedic team, although the case is dramatic, we agreed to help the child by buying a wheel chair the boy can manipulate alone and a prosthesis with fixture up to the hip and a belt… He is being followed up by the local physiotherapist, Dianah

A’s misfortune

We met A. in March: her mother brought her to the urology camp because she was 13 and had not menstruated. She had been brought up as a girl…but she was also starting to grow a beard and her clitoris had grown. The ultrasound performed on site suggested the presence of one single testicle in the groin. No uterus nor ovary was found.

It was decided to send her to Mulago Hospital in Kampala for a complete work up, in particular a genetic sex determination and dosage of her hormones. It turned out that SHE was a HE with sex chromosomes of XY…. She first decided to stay a girl, which meant surgery, reconstruction and hormonal substitution….and after six months of going back and forth from home to Mulago, after a useless cystoscopy and the plan of putting her through laparoscopic surgery, we decided to get her out and deal with the problem in Bwindi. By that time, she had decided to be a male……

An MRI was performed and confirmed the findings on ultrasound.

She was operated on by the local urologist (Dr Nkunda), whose specialisation we have sponsored: hypospadias repair and penile reconstruction, laparotomy and bilateral orchidopexy were performed.

HE is now back to school where his change of sex seems to have been accepted. His name is Angelo.

Activities at BCH during 2026