Source: IMC Hospital, Gulu
Eyotaru Specioza, a 28-year-old female humanitarian worker volunteering in Palorinya refugee Settlement, in obongi District, Uganda and she sustained multiple fractures. She is a mother of two children, a 5-yesr-old boy and a 2-year-old beautiful girl. She also supports her mother and other siblings by paying their children in school. She takes care of her mother too being the only graduate in the family. This accident happened on Friday, 26, November 2024 in Yumbe District while she was travelling over the weekend to go and see her children in Arua District that is over 150km away from her work place. She was admitted in Yumbe District (another Refugee hosting District) for some time before finally referring her to Gulu District for specialised treatment (Orthopaedic Surgery). At the moment she lies in bed worried about whether she will go back to continue with Humanitarian work again.
28-year-old female Humanitarian worker working in Palorinya Refugee Settlement in Obongi District, Uganda got involved in a Road Traffic accident (RTA) while going to see her family over the weekend after work. She is a mother of two, a 5-year-old boy and a 2-year-old beautiful girl.
This happened on Friday, 25, November 2024 at 6 pm after a heavy downpour that left the yet to be tarmacked feeder road connecting Koboko District to Moyo District in a bad state.
An allegedly alcohol intoxicated Bodaboda rider carrying two passengers lost control and rammed into them after dodging a pot hole on the road on high speed. She was on a motorcycle being carried by a fellow humanitarian worker in the same settlement who was also going to see his family over the weekend.
Immediately after the accident, she was then assisted by well wishers and rushed to the nearest Private Medical facility in the town since they offer much quicker services compared to the Government facilities in the Country.
In the Hospital, examinations and investigations were done and X-rays revealed that she sustained open Fracture of the Right Tibia and Fibula and a closed fracture of the Right Collar bone.
The accident also left the allegedly intoxicated Bodaboda rider and one of hid passengers injured, the one in the middle injured, with the former sustaining fractures of the bones of the Right Lower limb (Tibia and Fibula) and the latter sustained fractures of the bones of the Right upper limb (Radius and Ulna). They were also at a later time, taken to the hospital (Yumbe Hospital) for Treatment.
Fortunately for the rider who carried her and the second passenger the Bodaboda carried, they sustained no serious injuries sustained.
Unfortunately, for the 28-year-old female Humanitarian worker, her injuries were not manageable within Yumbe District since it needed an Orthopaedic Surgeon that the District does not have and the whole of west Nile Region has only one who was even not within the Region at the time.
Rhema Medical Centre, which is one of the most powerful Medical Facilities in Private sector in the Region had to refer her to IMC Hospital in Gulu-District, Northern Uganda. This referral was made because the receiving Hospital has an Orthopaedic Surgeon.
Four days after being managed in Rhema Medical centre, yesterday 31/07/2024, she was brough to IMC Hospital in Gulu District where she awaits her surgery.
However, yesterday evening on reaching the Hospital, when the Hospital tried to engage her Health insurance service provider (Prudential) said they would not cover the whole bill of Surgery costed at around 10 million Ugandan shillings ($2,700) but would pay only about 6 million ($1,612).
After discussions between the Hospital and Health Insurance Company, the total bill reduced to 7.8 million Ugandan shillings ($2.095) but Prudential Insurance still maintained that they will only cover $1,612 and she has to cover the rest.
As of today, Thursday 1/8/2024, she lays in bed figuring out how to raise the balance and get the surgery done and get back to work since she is a mother who has to provide for her family.
All she wants is to be able to raise money to complete the bill and be worked on so that she can get back to the work of her dreams.
Humanitarian work and serving the World’s less privileged people has always been her dream and she is so passionate about it.
Eyotaru Specioza takes full responsibility in supporting her mother and in taking care of the children of her siblings like paying them in School. She is the only graduate in the family and the light and hope of the family.
Uganda still has poor infrastructure development such as poor roads causing a big number of accidents and deaths annually.
The Bodaboda riders in the country also have no proper regulations, no adequate knowledge of traffic rules and road signs. Most riders lack riding permit since they don’t go through any riding training institution. Riding without helmet and carrying two to three or even four passengers is a normal practice in the country.
Despite the free health services at Government Health Services in Uganda, there is still a big challenge in accessing free specialised treatment such as Orthopaedic surgeries, and some treatments are completely not available in the Country.
These challenges of Infrastructure development and poor health sector development pose a great threat towards achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development goals.
SOURCE:
Personal Story.
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