Mangoes, monkeys and Maggie: Change of scenery

Today we are going to Kampala for a week. We have to go to Interpol to get proof that we have not been engaged in criminal activity or more particularly child abuse. This is to allow us to get a CRB check when we come home. There are also two VSO workshops, one a leavers workshop and the other a health conference. It is becoming more real that we only have seven more weeks here. Our flights are booked for September 28th which is world rabies day in case any one had forgotten!
The conference is a time for the health volunteers to get together and share experiences. My concern is that my experience may sound negative compared to some of the other projects. Masindi is the only project where volunteers are working directly with the government and this does raise different issues. I have been discussing with the medical superintendent the lack of resources and it is correct when he says that the government can only pay for about 25% of what is needed. One of the problems is that politicians will not admit this to the public and claim that all is well. The hospital has had the same budget of 280 million shillings for the last 10 years. That is in spite of the increase in population and the huge increase in costs of drugs. Most of the time the drugs and equipment needed to provide the care are not available. On Friday Ritah, the librarian who Maggie works with, was admitted to the female ward where I work. She collapsed and needed urgent surgery. Luckily the theatre was available and the surgeon was around so she could be operated on within the half hour. The delay was caused by the need for her family to go in to town and buy gloves, sutures and IV fluid. Happily they were in a position to afford them and she had a successful outcome. That same night a patient needed a caesarian section but had to wait until the morning for the local pharmacy to open so they could purchase what was needed for the section.
There are successes in the hospital and it is important to remember them. Last week we successfully treated a diabetic coma, a woman with cryptococcal meningitis, a child with nephrotic syndrome as well as starting several people on anti TB treatment. We have had reports from the health centres in Miirya that malaria is now less prevalent and that is seen as an effect of our mosquito net distribution. We are on target to finish the distribution of 5000 nets at the end of the month.
This weekend we have had Gemma and Fynn, two children of friends in Budongo, to stay. It was great to see how well they played with Akim, Adeitha and Aiesha the children who live in the compound. The five of them had a great time even though they had little common language. It is sobering to think about their futures. They all have great potential but Ugandan children’s chances of fulfilling theirs is far less. When we leave in September it looks like Rose and her family will have to leave as well. Hopefully they can find some suitable accommodation but it is unlikely to be as good as they have had for the last 2 years. One of the real draw backs of living here for a short time is the problem of leaving people behind. We are going to miss a lot of people.

Enjoying a DVD together: