Uganda - Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is a leading cause of childhood mortality in developing nations. In Uganda, many children, particularly orphans and those from families facing financial hardship, lack access to timely, life-saving cardiac surgeries.  

Upasuaji International, together with Open Hearts for Orphans and in collaboration with the Uganda Heart Institute (UHI), are working to fund critical pediatric cardiac surgeries for vulnerable children.  

How We're Making a Difference:

•  Partnering with UHI to identify children in greatest need, including orphans, who might struggle to access surgery

•  We provide the necessary financial support for both complex open-heart and essential closed-heart operations. 

•  Prioritizing surgeries within Uganda to strengthen local healthcare capacity, reduce backlogs, and empower Ugandan medical teams.

Our goal is to improve health outcomes for these children and bolster the entire Ugandan cardiac care system. 

Uganda - The Upasuaji Cardiac Passport is a specialized medical documentation and post-operative surveillance tool. It functions as a portable, lifelong medical record that patients carry with them to bridge the gap between complex cardiac surgery and long-term community-based care.

The program is specifically designed for:

• Cardiac Patients: Individuals who have undergone complex heart procedures (such as valve replacements or congenital repairs) and require strict, ongoing post-operative monitoring, medication management (like anticoagulation therapy), and routine diagnostic surveillance.

• Local Healthcare Providers: Village doctors and community clinicians who may not be cardiac specialists but need immediate, clear access to a patient's specific surgical history, implant details, and care guidelines to manage routine check-ups and emergencies safely.

Uganda - The Upasuaji Medical Assistance Grant is a structured financial safety net designed to support Ugandan families caring for children with specialized health needs. Operating on a co-investment model, the program does not fully fund every cost; instead, it assists with accrued medical expenses to remove the financial barriers to care while preserving the dignity, effort, and active provider role of the parents.

How It Works

• Financial Support: Eligible families receive up to 1,000,000 Shillings (1M UGX) per year.

• Reimbursement System: Families submit valid medical receipts to a case manager to receive direct reimbursement as expenses occur, ensuring 100% financial accountability.

• Covered Expenses: The grant covers critical healthcare necessities, including life-saving cardiac medications, diagnostic surveillance (such as Echo and ECG scans), and specialist consultations.

By turning sporadic, emergency-driven responses into a consistent, managed path, the program counters local stigma, prevents treatment abandonment, and establishes long-term medical stability for vulnerable children and single-parent households.

Uganda, COMING SOON, Tanzania - The Upasuaji Down Syndrome Centre of Kampala is a specialized community hub and advocacy organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with Down syndrome and their families through a dignified, supportive network.

Our work is focused on three main areas:

• Family Support: We establish a welcoming environment for families from their very first intake, providing comprehensive operational protocols, counseling, and guidance. We offer families a clear pathway for ongoing care, helping them navigate developmental milestones and connect with a supportive community of peers.

• Medical Provider Education & Support: We bridge the gap between families and the healthcare system by collaborating with medical professionals. We provide training and resources on disability etiquette and specialized care requirements, ensuring that clinicians can offer informed, proactive, and dignified medical surveillance.

• Community Education: We conduct extensive public advocacy and community outreach to counter local stigma. By highlighting the value and potential of these children—and partnering on initiatives like integrated education—we shift public perception and demonstrate to the wider community that individuals with Down syndrome are valuable, treatable, and worth the investment.