As many as 5,000 lives of children could be saved every year thanks to the expansion of a Ugandan medical centre funded by Manchester Airport.
The financial backing will see the centre’s malaria ward double in size and bring in more than £30,000 worth of brand new medical equipment.
Cheshire-based charity Medcare partnered with the airport on the project and currently run the Wellspring Medical Centre in Kamutuuza Uganda.
Chairwoman, Dr Pauline Hutchinson, said the centre, which opened in 2008, has already saved thousands of lives and could save an additional 5,000 children’s lives per year once the expansion is complete in 2014.
Dr Hutchinson also believes the improvements will double the number of people with cases of a disability or HIV/AIDS that can receive medical treatment.
“It’s fantastic to see the progress that Medcare are making with our support,” said Andrew Cowan Manchester Airport Group’s (MAG) Chief Operating Officer.
“We will continue to fundraise and raise awareness of Medcare as a charity to ensure the wonderful work they do can continue.”
MAG have raised almost £200,000 to date for the charity and last July a small group of their staff accompanied Dr Hutchinson travelled to Uganda to meet the people their charity work benefits.
The new medical equipment meanwhile will be shipped over in December and will include new hospital beds, wheelchairs, microscopes, mosquito nets, crutches and walking aids.
“We met some of the children benefitting from sponsorship, an experience which can only be described as overwhelming and inspirational,” said MAG Medcare committee member Catherine Hilton.
“Seeing some of these families and knowing that for some it’s just too late is unbelievably hard to take, which is why we’re working so hard to make the improvements to this much-needed medical facility so we can make a real difference to these people’s lives.”
For more information about making a one-off donation or sponsoring a Ugandan child visit:http://www.medcare.org.uk/
Image courtesy of Michael Tam via Flickr, with thanks.
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