St Mary`s Hospital Lacor in Gulu City has successfully operated on and treated 30 children with Anorectal malformation, a birth defect where a child presents without an anus or narrow anal opening.
Such children experience chronic constipation or difficulty in passing stool among others.
The Acholi community widely attributes the condition to ‘’evil spirits’’ or bad omens known as ”jok” in Acholi.
However, St Mary`s Hospital Lacor in Gulu City held a five days pediatric surgical camp with support from Mabarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) that ran from March 5th to 10th, 2023.
The camp was bankrolled by Bethany Kids, a compassionate Christian mission transforming the lives of African children with surgical conditions and disabilities through pediatric surgery, rehabilitation, public education, spiritual ministry, and training health professionals.
Alfred Oryem, a communication officer at St Mary`s Hospital Lacor told Mega Fm on Monday that the beneficiaries were very vulnerable and had been on the hospital’s waiting list.
Since its inception about three years ago, more than 100 children with similar conditions have been operated on and many others screened.
The camp is also geared towards training pediatric surgeons as well as medical officers and interns from within and other learning institutions in the country.
