By Frank Kamuntu
New partnership aims to deliver thousands of low-cost mesh-based repairs while strengthening surgical capacity across Eastern Uganda.
For many patients seeking treatment at Kyabirwa Surgical Center, a hernia is more than a medical condition. It is a daily struggle that affects livelihoods, productivity and family well-being.
Farmers find themselves unable to cultivate their land. Traders struggle to lift merchandise. Breadwinners are forced to abandon physically demanding work that sustains their households.
Across Busoga and much of rural Uganda, untreated hernias remain among the most common surgical conditions affecting working-age adults. Yet access to timely treatment has long been hindered by limited surgical services, high costs and the continued use of older repair techniques associated with higher rates of recurrence.
A new Shs1.5 billion initiative is now seeking to change that reality.
The Hernia Aid Global Grant GG2686728, launched through a partnership between the Rotary Club of Jinja, Hernia International, The Rotary Foundation, the Rotary Club of Sidmouth in the United Kingdom and five beneficiary hospitals, is expected to significantly expand access to safe, affordable hernia surgery across Eastern and Central Uganda.
Among the beneficiary facilities is Kyabirwa Surgical Center, which has emerged as a key provider of specialized surgical services in the Busoga sub-region.
According to Anna Turumanya Kalumuna, Executive Director of Kyabirwa Surgical Center, hernia cases account for nearly 80 percent of the surgical demand handled by the facility.
“This generous partnership with Hernia International and the Rotary Club of Jinja marks a transformative milestone for Kyabirwa Surgical Center,” she said.
“The support will strengthen our capacity to provide safe and affordable surgical care while reducing dependence on costly imported materials.”
The project comes at a critical time when healthcare providers are seeking sustainable solutions to one of the region’s largest unmet surgical needs.
A key component of the initiative is the expansion of mesh-based hernia repair, a technique widely recognized internationally as the gold standard for hernia treatment.
Unlike traditional tissue repairs that rely entirely on sutures, mesh repairs reinforce weakened abdominal walls, significantly reducing the likelihood of hernia recurrence.
However, access to commercially manufactured surgical mesh has remained out of reach for many patients due to its high cost.
As a result, some facilities have continued using older repair methods despite evidence showing increased risks of recurrence and repeat surgeries.
Dr Damoi Okello Joseph, Head of Surgery at Kyabirwa Surgical Center, says the consequences of this gap are frequently seen in the operating theatre.
“Scientific evidence clearly shows that non-mesh repairs carry significantly higher recurrence rates,” he explained.
“At Kyabirwa Surgical Center, we regularly manage recurrent hernias, which are far more complex and costly to treat than primary cases.”
Under the new project, participating hospitals will be supported to produce and prepare low-cost polyethylene mesh locally, enabling more patients to access mesh repairs at a fraction of the traditional cost.
Dr Okello believes the intervention will fundamentally improve surgical outcomes across the region.
“The availability of low-cost, locally produced mesh will allow facilities across the sub-region to transition to the gold-standard mesh repair technique,” he said.
“Studies have demonstrated that mesh repairs can reduce recurrence rates to less than one percent.”
For patients, that means fewer repeat procedures, faster recovery and lower healthcare costs.
Beyond surgical materials, the project is also investing heavily in infrastructure and patient safety.
Participating hospitals will receive modern sterilization equipment, including Eschmann SES3000B autoclaves, water distillers, surgical instruments, sterilization supplies, monitoring tools and technical support designed to strengthen infection prevention and control systems.
At Kyabirwa Surgical Center, the new equipment will be complemented by comprehensive training programmes for surgeons, nurses and biomedical engineers responsible for maintaining the systems.
According to Ambrose Nuwahereza, the Centre’s Director of Nursing, the initiative represents a significant step forward in improving healthcare quality.
“This invaluable partnership presents a significant investment in patient safety and quality healthcare delivery,” he said.
“The knowledge transfer will empower surgical teams with practical and sustainable skills that are both cost-effective and adaptable to our local healthcare settings.”
One of the distinguishing features of the programme is its emphasis on sustainability.
Rather than relying on short-term medical missions, the project focuses on strengthening local capacity through skills transfer, equipment maintenance training and continuous professional development.
The goal is to ensure that healthcare workers can continue delivering high-quality services long after the grant period ends.
Across the five participating hospitals, partners expect approximately 4,000 affordable hernia surgeries to be performed during the project period.
Healthcare leaders believe the impact will extend far beyond the operating room.
For many households, untreated hernias often result in lost income, reduced productivity and prolonged hardship. Successful treatment enables patients to return to work, support their families and resume economic activities that would otherwise remain impossible.
Speaking at the project launch in Kamuli District, LC5 Chairperson Kaloli Dhizaala welcomed the initiative and encouraged residents to take advantage of the services being offered through the beneficiary facilities.
He commended the partners behind the programme and called on communities to embrace the opportunity to address one of the region’s most persistent health challenges.
For Kyabirwa Surgical Center, the initiative offers an opportunity to tackle a longstanding backlog of untreated hernia cases while expanding access to modern, affordable surgical care.
As the programme takes shape, health experts believe its greatest legacy may not be the equipment delivered or the funding invested, but the creation of a sustainable model that enables hospitals to provide safe, affordable mesh-based hernia repairs using locally available resources and locally trained professionals.
For thousands of patients across Busoga, that could mean earlier treatment, fewer complications and access to a standard of surgical care that has often remained beyond reach.
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