“I have never been to any hospital like EMERGENCY.”

Four-year-old Amol, left, poses for the camera with his friend, three-year-old Achiek.

They met on the ward of the Children’s Surgical Hospital in Entebbe, after travelling from South Sudan with our Regional Programme for Paediatric Surgery.

Like Achiek, whose story we shared earlier this year, Amol was burned as an infant. Boiling water that was being prepared for his bath fell on his leg and wounded him badly.

After a year, his injuries had healed, but he could not walk normally. With seven children to look after, Amol’s parents did not have the money to pay for any further treatment – but their friend recommended that they bring him to one of our paediatric screening missions, and he was soon referred to our hospital in Entebbe for free treatment.

The little boy made lots of friends during his two months in the hospital, and especially liked the snacks. While we were caring for him, his mother Angeer fell ill with gastric ulcers and so we treated her, too.

Before they returned home to South Sudan, Angeer told us, “I have never been to any hospital that treats and cares for us the way EMERGENCY does.”

On our next screening mission to the country, we will see Amol again and check the progress of his physical therapy. Every family deserves the same access to free, high-quality healthcare.