A minor who survived cancer has filed a lawsuit in the High Court’s Civil Division, accusing a consultant paediatric haematologist of gross medical negligence that led to her permanent hearing loss.
The plaintiff, Valerie Nanono, through her father, Joseph Kkeeya Mwanje, is seeking Shs172 million in compensation.
According to court documents, Nanono claims that Dr. Peter Wasswa misrepresented himself as a consultant affiliated with the Uganda Cancer Institute. She states that in July 2019, at the age of nine, she was taken to Mulago Hospital’s Paediatric Oncology Ward, where she met Wasswa.
Through her lawyers, Muwema and Company Advocates, Nanono alleges that Wasswa introduced himself as a consultant and an assistant professor of paediatrics at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine. Wasswa diagnosed her with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and commenced chemotherapy treatment.
Medical concerns ignored
Nanono’s complaint states that in August 2019, she developed an ear infection during her outpatient chemotherapy treatment.
Her parents requested that the chemotherapy be paused to address the infection, but Wasswa allegedly dismissed their concerns, insisting it was a minor issue that would resolve itself.
The infection worsened, causing hearing loss in Nanono’s left ear and severe damage to her right ear. Her parents sought a second opinion from Dr. Gregory Tumweheire, a senior Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) surgeon, who confirmed the extent of her hearing damage.
Tumweheire’s efforts to treat the infection were reportedly unsuccessful due to Nanono’s compromised immunity from chemotherapy.
Treatment in India
After persistent pleas, Wasswa eventually wrote a referral for Nanono to seek treatment in India. Upon arrival, Indian doctors reportedly halted chemotherapy to treat the ear infection, which healed within two weeks.
She later resumed chemotherapy at the Uganda Cancer Institute and was declared cancer-free in September 2023.
However, Nanono had to undergo a cochlear implant procedure to regain partial hearing in her right ear.
The cost of the implant, hospitalisation, and rehabilitation amounted to Shs61 million, with ongoing costs anticipated due to the implant’s five-year shelf life and annual rehabilitation requirements.
Nanono claims that the hearing loss has robbed her of a normal childhood and disrupted her education.
She is now home-schooled by her mother, who had to quit her job and undergo training to tutor her. Court documents highlight the psychological and financial toll on the family.
Nanono alleges that multiple institutions, including the Uganda Cancer Institute, Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation, and Globe Hope Uganda, denied that Wasswa was their employee at the time of her treatment.
Despite filing a complaint with the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council in April 2024, she claims her concerns were ignored.
The lawsuit accuses Wasswa of falsely representing his credentials, leading the family to entrust him with her care, which they argue caused irreparable harm.
