CURE Children’s Hospital Marks 31,000 Paediatric Neurosurgeries, Renews Shs1 Billion Fundraising Appeal

By Bugisu Intellectual Reporter

MBALE CITY— CURE Children’s Hospital of Uganda has marked a major milestone of 31,000 paediatric neurosurgical operations performed over 25 years, renewing its appeal for Shs1 billion to support life-saving surgeries for vulnerable children who cannot afford treatment.

The specialised paediatric neurosurgery hospital, based in Mbale City, celebrated the achievement during the 10th edition of the CURE Brain Surgery Run held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, under the theme “Run to Save a Life.”

The annual fundraising event brought together political leaders, corporate sponsors, health sector stakeholders and members of the public who participated in 5-kilometre and 10-kilometre races to raise money and awareness for children suffering from neurological conditions.

The milestone highlights the hospital’s contribution to specialised healthcare in Uganda and the wider region, particularly in treating children with conditions such as hydrocephalus, spina bifida and brain tumours.

Speaking after the run, CURE Children’s Hospital Executive Director Tim Erickson said the institution had performed 31,000 operations since opening on January 19, 2001.

Erickson said the hospital remained committed to providing life-changing treatment to children, especially those from vulnerable families who would otherwise struggle to meet the cost of specialised neurosurgical care.

He disclosed that the hospital raised approximately Shs600 million during last year’s fundraising campaign but challenged individuals, companies and other organisations to increase their contributions to meet this year’s Shs1 billion target.

According to Erickson, an individual brain surgery costs approximately Shs7.8 million, making fundraising critical to enabling more children to access treatment.

The target is intended to mobilise additional resources for life-saving procedures and help ease the financial burden on families whose children require specialised neurosurgical intervention.

Oboth Marks Leads Fundraising Run

The Speaker of Uganda’s 12th Parliament, Jacob Oboth Marksons, who served as the chief runner, commended CURE Children’s Hospital for its contribution to saving children’s lives and providing hope to families affected by serious neurological conditions.

Oboth said he also had a patient who had received care at the hospital, explaining that his participation was an opportunity to give back to an institution that had made a difference in people’s lives.

He praised the hospital for its work and encouraged continued support for initiatives aimed at ensuring children receive the medical attention they need.

His participation added political and public visibility to the campaign, which seeks to mobilise resources beyond the hospital’s existing funding base. 

Difee Contributes Shs5 Million, Pledges Shs50 Million

Businessman and philanthropist Abdallah Difee, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) chairperson for Sironko Town Council, also applauded the hospital for its life-saving services to children with neurosurgical conditions.

Difee contributed Shs5 million towards this year’s CURE Brain Surgery Run and pledged a further Shs50 million for next year’s edition to support vulnerable children in accessing life-changing operations.

His contribution comes as the hospital intensifies efforts to mobilise funding from individuals, businesses and other well-wishers to bridge the financial gap facing children who need specialised treatment.

The pledge is expected to provide additional support to future fundraising efforts and encourage other potential donors to participate in the initiative.

Difee’s support also underscored the role of private philanthropy in complementing healthcare services and helping families who cannot independently meet the cost of specialised medical procedures. 

Masaba Calls for More Government Funding

Meanwhile, Mbale Industrial City Division Member of Parliament Karim Masaba called on legislators to advocate for increased government funding to strengthen specialised neurosurgical services at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.

Masaba argued that expanding the capacity of the public referral facility would provide additional treatment options for children whose families cannot access services at CURE Children’s Hospital.

He said Parliament had a responsibility to push for adequate resources to improve specialised healthcare services and ensure that more patients benefit from treatment closer to their homes.

“We need to go back to Parliament as MPs and advocate for more funding so that the government can support these services at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital,” Masaba said.

His remarks highlighted the need for complementary investment in public healthcare facilities, even as CURE continues to provide specialised paediatric neurosurgical services.

Increased government funding, he argued, would help strengthen the referral hospital’s ability to respond to neurological conditions and improve access to care for families with limited financial means.

The call also placed the fundraising campaign within a broader discussion about the responsibility of government and private institutions in expanding access to specialised healthcare.

Bitature Urges Corporate Uganda to Support Children

CURE board member Dr Patrick Bitature said the annual brain surgery run was about more than raising money, noting that it also helped raise awareness about the availability of specialised paediatric neurosurgical treatment in Mbale.

Bitature observed that some children in rural communities risk losing their lives because their families lack the financial resources to seek treatment abroad, particularly in India, despite specialised services being available locally.

He said greater public awareness could help families identify treatment options in Uganda while encouraging individuals and corporate organisations to contribute towards the cost of care.

Bitature thanked Biyinzika Poultry, the event’s cornerstone sponsor, for contributing Shs150 million and expressing willingness to continue supporting the initiative.

He called on more companies and individuals to partner with the hospital to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent children from receiving life-saving operations.

The contribution by Biyinzika Poultry represented a major show of corporate support for the campaign, demonstrating how partnerships between healthcare institutions and the private sector can help mobilise resources for vulnerable patients.

Bitature’s appeal comes amid growing efforts by specialised healthcare providers to combine fundraising, public awareness and corporate partnerships to address the cost of treatment for patients requiring complex medical procedures. 

Janet Museveni Commends CURE’s 25 Years of Service Mbale District

Mbale District Woman Member of Parliament Miriam Mukhaye delivered a message from Education Minister/ First Lady Hon. Janet Museveni, who praised CURE Children’s Hospital for maintaining its reputation as a centre of excellence in paediatric neurosurgery.

Janet Museveni, who serves as co-chairperson of the hospital’s Board of Directors, congratulated the institution on completing 25 years of service to Uganda and neighbouring countries.

In her message, she recognised the hospital’s contribution to specialised healthcare and its role in treating children who require complex brain surgeries.

“This year, as we celebrate 25 years of exceptional service to Uganda and our neighbours, I would like to congratulate you for providing the highest volume of paediatric brain surgeries by any hospital worldwide,” the message read.

Her message acknowledged the institution’s contribution to expanding access to specialised treatment for children and its standing in paediatric neurosurgical care.

The anniversary also provided an opportunity to reflect on the hospital’s work since 2001 and the need to sustain its services through continued financial support, partnerships and public participation.

A Call to Save More Young Lives

The 10th CURE Brain Surgery Run attracted participants in 5-kilometre and 10-kilometre races, bringing together people from different backgrounds to support children in need of specialised neurosurgical treatment.

Beyond the physical challenge, the event sought to mobilise financial contributions and draw attention to conditions that can have devastating consequences for children when treatment is delayed or inaccessible.

With each operation costing approximately Shs7.8 million, the hospital’s Shs1 billion fundraising target represents a significant effort to mobilise resources for children whose families cannot afford the full cost of care.

The hospital’s achievement of 31,000 operations over 25 years demonstrates the scale of its work, while the renewed appeal highlights the continuing need for financial support to reach more children.

As CURE looks ahead to future editions of the annual run, its leadership and supporters are calling on the public, corporate organisations, philanthropists and government to work together to improve access to specialised paediatric neurosurgery.

For the hospital, the ultimate measure of the campaign’s success is not only the amount of money raised, but also the number of children who can receive treatment, recover and have an opportunity to lead healthier lives.

Under the theme “Run to Save a Life,” the 2026 edition reinforced a message that has remained central to the initiative: collective action and sustained support can help ensure that a child’s chance of survival is not determined by a family’s ability to pay for surgery.