One of the outreaches that Commission International is involved in is visiting and encouraging the sick. It is one of the major areas of need. People suffer from different kinds of illnesses and yet many of them cannot even afford treatment.

The International confederation on world health, held in 2005 revealed that most of Africa’s hospitals are under staffed with many unqualified health workers. The research showed that 80% of the doctors and nurses, if got an opportunity, would prefer to work outside Uganda and indeed many have left. The major reason is underpayment for the services that they offer to the public. Those who have stayed behind have chosen to put up their own small clinics where they charge highly.

Currently the available hospitals are not enough to accommodate all the sick people and so some do not even go to hospitals but instead resort to self-medication which sometimes worsens the situation. For those who go to the hospitals, they can hardly be accommodated unless they have a lot of money to be attended to.

In 2003, the Uganda Medical Center (UMCC) found out that 70% of Uganda’s population cannot afford professional medical attention when they are sick. The biggest number of these is women and children who cannot be treated by the heads of the family which explains why many women resort to witchcraft.

As one enters the hospital wards, one can’t afford to miss the many patients lying outside on the

Verandas, while others wait in the corridors. The wards are full to capacity, that the rest of the patients find shelter outside, as they solicit for treatment.

Most of them cannot even afford to buy food or medication. Some patients are abandoned in the hospitals and they remain with no care-takers. Since the patients are usually so many, the nurses too cannot attend to all of them.

On our different visitations to the sick, basic items like foods, sugar, soap, clothes and bibles are distributed even as the gospel is being preached and the sick are prayed for.

Esther, a victim of cancer, stayed in hospital without any one caring for her. When an outreach team from Commission International visited Mulago hospital, Esther was very happy as she received a loaf of bread, a kilo of sugar and a piece of soap.

We desire to reach out to as many sick people as possible, so that their health and hope can be restored. These are real people with real problems and need a touch of love from someone. As they say, wealth is health; through visiting the sick, whether in hospitals or in their homes, hope is restored to the hopeless.

On our different visitations to the sick, basic items like foods, sugar, soap, clothes and bibles are distributed even as the gospel is being preached and the sick are prayed for to receive healing. Many patients usually can afford to pay the hospital bills hence receiving no treatment or inadequate services.