This is based in the renovated building of what was Hope Christian High School, situated on the main road through Namusaala village, Busaana Sub-county, Kayunga District. We started holding mobile clinics on the verandah of the old premises but now we have a fully refurbished building catering largely for the many disabled children in the community.
We work with the elders of St Luke’s church, Church of Uganda, Namusaala, and do many home visits in the area for those who cannot access the clinic. There are two full-time members of staff who live on the premises – an orthopaedic officer/pharmacist, and a full-time nurse. We hope the work will develop to have a visiting doctor, midwife and laboratory technician.
Treatment is free of charge but patients pay for their medication.
On a visit to St Luke’s church, Namusaala, in 2011, the local minister, Rev. Felix introduced us to Luis Theoplus, a paralysed teenager who lived opposite the church. Felix asked if we could do anything to help him as he knew we worked with Acheru Rehabilitation Centre in Kabembe. We duly took Luis to Acheru – and thus the work began with disabled children in the Namusaala area – and there are MANY of them!
Initially we were restricted to home visiting and transporting disabled children either to Acheru or to hospitals in Kampala or CoRSU Orthopaedic Hospital in Entebbe. There were plenty of clients and it became increasingly apparent that a local clinic would be a real asset to the community.
Rev Titus Baraka had also had a vision for a clinic in the area and offered the premises of his old Hope Christian High School in Masembe for us to develop.
Vision
“To be a health care centre of excellence that identifies, rehabilitates, and treats patients in the community with special emphasis on children with disabilities.”
Mission
“To provide holistic quality health services in a competent and friendly environment.”
Objectives
Starfish Clinic and Rehabilitation Centre’s work is based on these objectives:
we support needy children with school fees and requirements and often medical expenses in times of crisis.
A group for widows and orphans with whom we have been involved for more than 20 years. They meet monthly.
We seek to promote the Gospel of Christ and show his love in practical ways. We counsel our young people and encourage them.
We aim to help children and young adults with their education to become independent and self-supporting adults.