In a survey conducted by Uganda Society for Disabled Children (USDC) in 9 sub counties of the 9 districts where data was collected, with subsequent interpolation to the country as a whole, almost 650 children have musculoskeletal disabilities. This figure includes 170,000 children with significant post paralytic poliomyelitis, another 250,000 with cerebral palsy, just over 200,000 with congenital limb deformities or amputations and 20,000 with chronic osteomyelitis.
The total population of Uganda according to the most recent estimates is over 33 million people. WHO estimates that about 10% of the population of a developing country is disabled, or 2.4 million people. Since 2/3 of the population in Uganda is under 18 years of age, the rough estimates are that there are about 1.6 million disabled children in the country and 800,000 disabled adults.
Orthopaedic Surgery is the surgical specialty for the diagnosis and treatment of injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system; that is, the spine and the extremities (the arms and legs). Orthopaedics therefore is concerned with disorders of the bones, joints, muscles, tendons and nerves.