Report for medical camps conducted in western uganda

REPORT FOR MEDICAL CAMPS CONDUCTED IN WESTERN UGANDA Introduction The medical camps took place between 21st to 26th June 2015 sponsored by Bushenyi Integrated Rural Development a nongovernmental organization based in bushenyi district.

The team consisted of the BIRD staff, a visiting team from the USA, the BIRD president inclusive with other colleagues which consisted of gynecologists, dentists and a biologist assisted by medical students from Kampala International University under the umbrella Association Of Medical Students KIU.The student team was accompanied by the Federation Of African Medical Students Association Dr.Ephraim Kisangala in the first day of the camp.

Visiting team from USA, BIRD president

BIRD coordinator Sr.ephrance and the members

Introduces her team

of the village.

Services offered during the camp The patients were attended to in the following areas; 

Dental clinic; which consisted of a team of dental surgeons both from USA and Uganda

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Out patients; where all other illnesses were attended to by the team of medical students from KIU and the BIRD medical staff.

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Laboratory services were also offered including HIV counseling and testing

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Maternity, where the women’s gynecological issues were dealt with appropriately.

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Pharmacy, where the patients received drugs as prescribed

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Hoes were also given out by BIRD to support agriculture in the various areas.

Areas covered The camp took place in five different areas during the week’s event attending to a total number of 700 patients and the rest referred for further attention to the respective health centres.In most of the areas where the medical camps were carried out, there were clinics set up and run

by BIRD which made the exercise quite simplified. The following are the areas that benefited from the camps.

1. The team was in mitooma district on Monday 21st at Dr.Belknap clinic where the medical camp was conducted. The village health team was helpful in organization.

The first baby to be delivered at the maternity ward at Dr.Belknap clinic with the mother

BIRD also gave out hoes to the various women groups to support agriculture

2. On Tuesday 22nd, the team went to Sheema district where we were warmly welcomed by the locals in the community, the visitors were briefly entertained by the local women groups.

A total of about 300 patients were attended to in the above mentioned areas and the women groups received agricultural materials like hoes to boost their agricultural practices.

3. On 23rd, the team was at Kitabi seminary hospital where we attended to about 259 patients.

4. On the 24th the visiting team and BIRD staff launched re-usable pads and also visited the BIRD sponsored students at kabwohe,the, the team had fun with the pupils and the day was crowned by a dinner graced by the presence of the health minister Uganda.

5. On 25th, we were at buhweju where patients had assembled at Beverley health center.

The team was warmly welcomed by the village members and the patient number was overwhelming to the extent that some patients were advised to come back for attention on the 9th July when the second team of visitors from USA would be paying a visit to the health center.

ACHIEVEMENTS 

All the planned areas for the medical camps were reached and patients attended to

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The KIU students cooperated and this enabled smooth conduction of the medical camps

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All patients who sought for help were attended to, case identification especially surgical and gynecological was done the patients referred to surrounding hospitals like KIU teaching hospital.

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There was enough man power boosted by the presence of the KIU medical students so the team was never at any moment overwhelmed.

CHALLENGES 

Road network to some of the targeted areas was really so poor.

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Camps would sometimes end late since each area had a day so the team would try and attend to all patients.

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Closely related to the above, the camps would sometimes start late due to distance.