On the 11th of December marks the day Gatumbu Bashir was taken to children's ward for health checkup and treatment.
Bashir is an unfortunate boy, found sitting at home so lonely, his mother leaves him there all day long in a struggle of looking for food in the village, we moved for many hours in the village trying to find Bashir's mother.
She told us the story of how she suffers with her five children after the husband started missing and up to now she does not know where he is.
Bashir spends his day starving, he eats every dirty thing because of hunger, this has caused him to get various infections and diseases.
He has a low growth caused by sever malnutrition.
He was put on nutritional supplements. After a night in the ward he was brought to the orphanage house.
Bashir was unable to walk in any way. He always cried when he was picked and touched anywhere on this body.
After several visits to the doctors, we finally managed to get his x-ray and he was diagnosed with more than a month old fracture.
Bashir was admitted to the hospital where he suppose to get his good plaster fit on his left leg.
He spent three days at the Jinja Islamic Clinic where apparently is the only specialist on fractures.
His legs were pulled up on the string for about two days and our volunteers Sienna Howel & Kaka would spend the nights and days with Bashir.
Unfortunately his health has weakened and Bashir would start vomiting, having high fever and not wanting to eat anything.
After notifying nurses of his situation and telling them that the whole night he vomited anything he was given and he did not drink anything for all day and night, we got no attention from the doctor.
The same day we requested malaria test, which was done at 9am in the morning and which normally takes only 5 mins to know the results. At 1pm we still were unable to find out his results, and doctor still was not seen around.
We grabbed Bashir and I run away with Bashir to my flat, where I decided to care for him myself, as he was failing to get any medical care.
We took him to other independent hospital where we confirmed malaria and also where we have re-done Bashir's plaster for his leg. This time it has been done properly and it has firmly and safely hold his broken leg in the right position.
It had been somehow difficult time with Bashir as he was extremely sick, he had lack of red blood cells and his malaria was severe. He vomited for about 3 days everything he was given, he was in a lots of pain but we prepared for him fresh juices and teas from beetroot and he eventually got well.
After 3 weeks of treatment, Bashir gave us finally his first smile.
Bashir is now staying at One World Orphanage in Mutai until his full recovery. His muscles on his arms and legs are very weak at the moment. So we want to make sure he can walk, be fully confident before we bring him back to his mother.
Expenses at the hospital:
Taxi to Magamaga - 1.000 (0.25£)
Taxi to Jinja - 4.000 (1£)
Cannula for drip 1.500
Food & Water 22.000
Juice 1.000
Toilet 1.000
Basin 2.000
Bathing Soap 1.200
Towel 3.000
Clothes for Bashir 15.000
Pampers 3.000
Total expenses: 54.700 (£13.50)
