Veteran Ugandan gospel singer Joan Ndikirya has opened up about the health struggles that forced her away from the music industry, revealing that she spent six days in a coma after developing a blood clot in her brain.
The singer, formerly known to many fans as Joan Makumbi, said she has lived with paralysis on the left side of her body for approximately 15 years.
Ndikirya, who became popular in the 2000s through gospel songs such as Elinya Lyo Dungi and Mukama Nkwesiga, shared her story during an interview with Spark TV.
Joan Ndikirya Recounts Her Medical Ordeal
According to the singer, her health problems began with an illness that prompted her mother to take her to a nearby medical facility in Najjanankumbi.
She said medical workers prescribed six drips, but her condition reportedly deteriorated during the third round when she began convulsing before slipping into a coma.
She was subsequently rushed to Mulago Hospital, where doctors conducted a CT scan and discovered a blood clot in her brain.
Ndikirya said she remained unconscious for six days. When she regained consciousness, she discovered that the left side of her body was paralysed.
“I do not want to say that I’m sick because it sounds like I’m ungrateful to God. I spent 6 days in a coma following a clot in the brain. When I became conscious, my left side was paralyzed,” she said.
She Links the Ordeal to Alleged Violence in Her Marriage
In an earlier interview, Ndikirya reportedly traced the beginning of her health troubles to December 2011, following disagreements with her former husband that allegedly turned violent.
She claimed that her ex-husband slapped her, an incident she believes preceded the brain clot that nearly cost her life.
However, the singer was reluctant to revisit the details of the relationship during her more recent interview, explaining that she wanted to focus on her future rather than reopen painful memories.
She also revealed that her former husband had prohibited her from continuing to use his surname, which had become familiar to many of her fans.
“They always referred to me as Joan Makumbi but the owner of the name banned me from using it and I do not want to use it ever again. Just take it that it was a clot. I do not want to remember my past because I’m looking at the future. Right now, I take it that I got a clot on my brain, went into a coma, then came back,” she explained.
Joan Ndikirya Appreciates Support and Hopes to Return to the Stage
Despite the challenges, the mother of three expressed gratitude to fellow musicians and pastors who have visited and supported her throughout her ordeal.
Ndikirya has also continued serving in churches, maintaining her connection to gospel ministry despite her long absence from the mainstream music scene.
She now hopes to return to the concert stage, revealing that she is praying for a music promoter to organise a concert for her.
For a singer whose music touched many listeners during the 2000s, the possibility of performing again would mark an important chapter in her journey after years away from the spotlight.