UgandAshis 26 Getting organized
June 20, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
Between Eveline and Joseph I am blessed with access to who-is-who in Uganda. Yesterday I met a senior doctor, public health expert, organizational psychologist and consultant for start-up NGO’s. The dear doctor and I rapidly got talking about PGHF and his plans for the next few years. Having ideas is not a problem for me but streamlining them into action plans, a project proposal does not come so easy. In organizational psychological tests I would be coded as yellow as a sunflower. (Creative thinker). My doctor friend is blue (Organizer). Over the next meetings with him I will be able to define crisply the objectives, goals, mission and vision for PGHF Africa. I feel like a little kid in a candy shop, everything is nice and good and possible. Donors apparently reason differently.
We ended up speaking most on the action research he is planning to. Research that will give clear indication what are the costs of operating the different services in the Ugandan health care set up and what are positive outliers (i.e. services that are positive deviants) that have a better outcome despite the same lack of resources that all health centers have. Looking at preventive medicine and seeing which program gives most result for your shilling (cost effectiveness).
He shared with me his rich experience of successes and failures in his career. One of his areas of expertise is HIV/AIDS and he was part of one of the first integrated approaches to care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the home setting. Pre-anti retro viral therapy era that is. Before concepts as social marketing and home based care for chronically ill existed they were doing it in a pilot project in the fort Portal region.
Key to success of programming was active involvement and dialogue with the local people. Realization that stakeholders and decision makers in society are not necessary those in positions of authority and political will from the bottom to the top are quintessential. The pilot turned out to be a major success. Despite open tiffs with the Minister of Health, bill boarding the promotion of use of condoms was not all appreciated the community and local leaders allocated funds to implement the program components of care provision in the homes of PLWHA.
Then the powers that be revolted once the pilot program was over. Despite an absolute lack of resources in hospital settings (remember even today there are only 2000 doctors in Uganda) care for PLWHA has been medicalized and institutionalized and till the day of today is.
I am very much looking forward to speaking with this great human in the future. It is great to know he will help our organization set up shop. He also asked me to help him with his research. Well I hope our university can play a role there.
Simple issues are often made complex by the powers that be. The last question I asked him if he was willing to swim against the stream and speak truth even if that truth was not liked by all. A smile came onto his face and he said that there was a need for facts, currently curiously absent. What politicians and society then decides to do with practical recommendation is up to them. Truth needs to be spoken.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Monday 22 June 2009
UgandAshis 25. Surprise
UgandAshis 25 Surprise
June 20, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
A young friend of mine had his farewell party before going to Italy to become a civil pilot. His party was at one of my favorite hang outs; Kyoto at Centenary Park. While on the dance floor I bumped into Samali Okoth. She is of Russian-Polish-Canadian-Ugandan descent and has spent time in Kenya-Canada and Uganda while growing up. We hit it off straight away and starting swapping our experiences as mixed blood people. Somali is 5 foot 9 and because she practiced body building on a very high level is massively and muscular in her built. She is so big most men are intimidated by her.
Her story about her first day in school in Canada I have to share. As she entered the classroom the teacher Mr. Dyke a world wise 50 year old told the class room that they had a special new classmate. SomaLEE Okoto, eight years old from East Africa. As he unrolled the map of Africa from 1946 with Rhodesia, Tanganyika still on it he asked her to point out Uganda. She found Lake Victoria and happily Mr. Dyke commented that the country being on the equator it must be very hot. He then continued to ask if she lived in a mud hut. The kids joined in with a barrage of questions the first one being if she had a pet lion.
Sincerely peeved by the mispronunciation of her name and the misconceptions of her country Samali she took up her place in the classroom and joined the mathematic class. As she made an error she raised her hand and asks Mr. Dyke for a rubber to rub out the mistake. Mr. Dyke became flush faced and told SomaLEE that in Vancouver the called the device an eraser. To the humor of the class she replied that in Kampala an eraser is to wipe the chalk of the blackboard.
In Uganda the same unbelieving ears as she pronounces her name to anyone Samali. The commonest answer is: “Are you sure?” followed by the same response when they hear her family name Okoth (both names are 100% Ugandan) but Samali has a very light skin. Surely confused the next question if she is sure she is sure. Or Madam you cannot be Ugandan. I just laughed and laughed how often have I been told I cannot be of Indian or of Dutch decent. Seen as a muzungu (white) in Africa and an outlier in Europe. Being of mixed descent is a mixed blessing.
Our night ended with a picnic in the garden after visiting the 24 hour market. It is then that she told me her family ran the first private hospital in Uganda, Nile Hospital in the 1980’s. Due to external circumstances the highly successful business was forced to shut down. And as a consequence she still has the remnants in apparatus (hospital beds, x ray machine, wheelchairs etcetera)
My friend Eveline’s clinic is expanding this week to a second building for mother and child care. The admissions in the first building (14 beds) are maximally occupied and we need beds, wheelchair, second x-ray machine etcetera. Life is full of surprises. Go clubbing and end up with part of the inventory for your new health clinic.
Namaskar,
Ashis
June 20, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
A young friend of mine had his farewell party before going to Italy to become a civil pilot. His party was at one of my favorite hang outs; Kyoto at Centenary Park. While on the dance floor I bumped into Samali Okoth. She is of Russian-Polish-Canadian-Ugandan descent and has spent time in Kenya-Canada and Uganda while growing up. We hit it off straight away and starting swapping our experiences as mixed blood people. Somali is 5 foot 9 and because she practiced body building on a very high level is massively and muscular in her built. She is so big most men are intimidated by her.
Her story about her first day in school in Canada I have to share. As she entered the classroom the teacher Mr. Dyke a world wise 50 year old told the class room that they had a special new classmate. SomaLEE Okoto, eight years old from East Africa. As he unrolled the map of Africa from 1946 with Rhodesia, Tanganyika still on it he asked her to point out Uganda. She found Lake Victoria and happily Mr. Dyke commented that the country being on the equator it must be very hot. He then continued to ask if she lived in a mud hut. The kids joined in with a barrage of questions the first one being if she had a pet lion.
Sincerely peeved by the mispronunciation of her name and the misconceptions of her country Samali she took up her place in the classroom and joined the mathematic class. As she made an error she raised her hand and asks Mr. Dyke for a rubber to rub out the mistake. Mr. Dyke became flush faced and told SomaLEE that in Vancouver the called the device an eraser. To the humor of the class she replied that in Kampala an eraser is to wipe the chalk of the blackboard.
In Uganda the same unbelieving ears as she pronounces her name to anyone Samali. The commonest answer is: “Are you sure?” followed by the same response when they hear her family name Okoth (both names are 100% Ugandan) but Samali has a very light skin. Surely confused the next question if she is sure she is sure. Or Madam you cannot be Ugandan. I just laughed and laughed how often have I been told I cannot be of Indian or of Dutch decent. Seen as a muzungu (white) in Africa and an outlier in Europe. Being of mixed descent is a mixed blessing.
Our night ended with a picnic in the garden after visiting the 24 hour market. It is then that she told me her family ran the first private hospital in Uganda, Nile Hospital in the 1980’s. Due to external circumstances the highly successful business was forced to shut down. And as a consequence she still has the remnants in apparatus (hospital beds, x ray machine, wheelchairs etcetera)
My friend Eveline’s clinic is expanding this week to a second building for mother and child care. The admissions in the first building (14 beds) are maximally occupied and we need beds, wheelchair, second x-ray machine etcetera. Life is full of surprises. Go clubbing and end up with part of the inventory for your new health clinic.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Thursday 18 June 2009
UgandAshis 24 Sprawling hills
UgandAshis 24 Sprawling hills
June 18, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
I met an elderly shopkeeper yesterday and as we started talking about the Cranes and food we eventually came to talk about the neighborhood I live in right now. It is a in between of suburb, small village and continuation of Kampala city. We live about 5 minutes drive of the shore of Lake Victoria and that is why we have so many predator birds circling around. As we speak I can see two kites (hawks) on the look-out.
He was telling me how 15-20 years ago the hills we were looking at were dense rainforest with exotic flora and fauna. Ggaba then was a beach were some fisher men moored their boats. Now we can see the repetitive red tile roofs and red brick one storey houses. Nickelangelo, my architect friend would say that there is only one blue print on offer to construct houses in the whole of Uganda.
In the Netherlands out of jealousy we always joke how everything in Belgium happens 10 years later. Well all over Africa people are flocking to the smaller and bigger cities, yet in Uganda that trend is present but much delayed. In a population of 30 million Kampala is the biggest city with 1.65 million inhabitants followed by Kira with 205.000, Gulu 146.000, Jinja 132.000, Entebbe 115.000, Mbarara 102.00 and all others information is lacking or are below 100.000. If we add up all the numbers on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_and_towns_in_Uganda then we can estimate only 10% lives in a city.
Living in Kampala and working in Fort Portal (46.000) gives a much skewed view of what Uganda is. I hope to be travelling more and more to North, East, West and South. Feeling traffic jams, industrial pollution, crowding of people, inner city crime, loose moral of big city inhabitants, unraveling of the social fabric and other big city problems are an issue for the majority of Ugandans is misreading the reality.
The average Ugandan digs, earns about a dollar a day, lives in a rural area with limited access to healthcare, primary education, has bad roads, lack of clean water. Despite to for once quote Winston Churchill ‘Uganda is the pearl of Africa’ problems are present today and with one of the youngest populations in the world deforestation, overgrazing, over use of agricultural land and emptied lakes devoid of fish are current problems bound to get worse.
It is not for a lack of highly educated, motivated, caring people in Uganda. The biggest gift Uganda brings to the world are the kind hearted people. Vision from the leaders in the country, opportunities for loans, integrity by all living and working here and a true open world market would help. The label for Africa as a lost continent is tedious, simpleminded and does not reflect on the talent and potential of the continent.
Namaskar,
Ashis
June 18, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
I met an elderly shopkeeper yesterday and as we started talking about the Cranes and food we eventually came to talk about the neighborhood I live in right now. It is a in between of suburb, small village and continuation of Kampala city. We live about 5 minutes drive of the shore of Lake Victoria and that is why we have so many predator birds circling around. As we speak I can see two kites (hawks) on the look-out.
He was telling me how 15-20 years ago the hills we were looking at were dense rainforest with exotic flora and fauna. Ggaba then was a beach were some fisher men moored their boats. Now we can see the repetitive red tile roofs and red brick one storey houses. Nickelangelo, my architect friend would say that there is only one blue print on offer to construct houses in the whole of Uganda.
In the Netherlands out of jealousy we always joke how everything in Belgium happens 10 years later. Well all over Africa people are flocking to the smaller and bigger cities, yet in Uganda that trend is present but much delayed. In a population of 30 million Kampala is the biggest city with 1.65 million inhabitants followed by Kira with 205.000, Gulu 146.000, Jinja 132.000, Entebbe 115.000, Mbarara 102.00 and all others information is lacking or are below 100.000. If we add up all the numbers on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_and_towns_in_Uganda then we can estimate only 10% lives in a city.
Living in Kampala and working in Fort Portal (46.000) gives a much skewed view of what Uganda is. I hope to be travelling more and more to North, East, West and South. Feeling traffic jams, industrial pollution, crowding of people, inner city crime, loose moral of big city inhabitants, unraveling of the social fabric and other big city problems are an issue for the majority of Ugandans is misreading the reality.
The average Ugandan digs, earns about a dollar a day, lives in a rural area with limited access to healthcare, primary education, has bad roads, lack of clean water. Despite to for once quote Winston Churchill ‘Uganda is the pearl of Africa’ problems are present today and with one of the youngest populations in the world deforestation, overgrazing, over use of agricultural land and emptied lakes devoid of fish are current problems bound to get worse.
It is not for a lack of highly educated, motivated, caring people in Uganda. The biggest gift Uganda brings to the world are the kind hearted people. Vision from the leaders in the country, opportunities for loans, integrity by all living and working here and a true open world market would help. The label for Africa as a lost continent is tedious, simpleminded and does not reflect on the talent and potential of the continent.
Namaskar,
Ashis
UgandAshis 23. Rwanda's plans for computers for all primary school students by 2012
UgandAshis 23 Rwanda’s plans for computers for all primary school students by 2012
June 17, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
Under the name One Laptop per Child has been launched by Global Center for Excellence in Laptops and Learning in collaboration with the Rwandese government. The plans sound great: all Rwandan primary school children to be supplied with XO laptop by 2012. The cost of the laptop is $100 a subsidized rate. Nicholas Negroponte’s plan to make computers available to all may take off in Rwanda.
Going back for an instant to Uganda when I meet students on the bus traveling up and down to Fort Portal half of them seem to be studying IT. It is a misconception that there are no qualified people to run software or computer hardware companies in East Africa. And at the same time access to internet is costly, low bandwidth and often just not working. I was smirking yesterday when I read a letter to the editor in my Daily Monitor newspaper describing the failing of a competing internet provider (MTN). All the writer could get was the MTN homepage and that for 5 days in a row. It was the letter I was about to write about my provider (UTL). Fortunately for me my connection has been up and running for two days.
The internet connection for Sub Saharan Africa has been depending on costly satellite connection. As we speak the cable that has been laid on the bottom of the ocean has reached Mombasa. So with a bit of luck there should be a normal bandwidth connection in 2010 or 2011 in Kampala. This cable is supposed to hook up most of East, Central, West and Southern Africa.
So with normal bandwidth access to the internet and all primary school kids in Rwanda computer savvy will the next Silicon Valley or Bangalore be in Kigali, Rwanda? Let us hope so. For all the Rwandese have been going through their economy is one of the fastest growing worldwide (not easy when your country is landlocked) It is only 15 years ago when the world watch on to yet another genocide.
An informed and well educated group of youngsters may be key to have Africa as the happening place now and the leading continent worldwide in 50 to 100 years. After all this continent has the resources, the people and when peace is the norm the golden opportunity to shine.
The XO laptop will be introduced in 17 countries in Africa. Let more of the African leaders give their future (the kids) an edge to compete with the world. The 2.2 million in Rwanda may have been given a powerful boost.
Namaskar,
Ashis
June 17, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
Under the name One Laptop per Child has been launched by Global Center for Excellence in Laptops and Learning in collaboration with the Rwandese government. The plans sound great: all Rwandan primary school children to be supplied with XO laptop by 2012. The cost of the laptop is $100 a subsidized rate. Nicholas Negroponte’s plan to make computers available to all may take off in Rwanda.
Going back for an instant to Uganda when I meet students on the bus traveling up and down to Fort Portal half of them seem to be studying IT. It is a misconception that there are no qualified people to run software or computer hardware companies in East Africa. And at the same time access to internet is costly, low bandwidth and often just not working. I was smirking yesterday when I read a letter to the editor in my Daily Monitor newspaper describing the failing of a competing internet provider (MTN). All the writer could get was the MTN homepage and that for 5 days in a row. It was the letter I was about to write about my provider (UTL). Fortunately for me my connection has been up and running for two days.
The internet connection for Sub Saharan Africa has been depending on costly satellite connection. As we speak the cable that has been laid on the bottom of the ocean has reached Mombasa. So with a bit of luck there should be a normal bandwidth connection in 2010 or 2011 in Kampala. This cable is supposed to hook up most of East, Central, West and Southern Africa.
So with normal bandwidth access to the internet and all primary school kids in Rwanda computer savvy will the next Silicon Valley or Bangalore be in Kigali, Rwanda? Let us hope so. For all the Rwandese have been going through their economy is one of the fastest growing worldwide (not easy when your country is landlocked) It is only 15 years ago when the world watch on to yet another genocide.
An informed and well educated group of youngsters may be key to have Africa as the happening place now and the leading continent worldwide in 50 to 100 years. After all this continent has the resources, the people and when peace is the norm the golden opportunity to shine.
The XO laptop will be introduced in 17 countries in Africa. Let more of the African leaders give their future (the kids) an edge to compete with the world. The 2.2 million in Rwanda may have been given a powerful boost.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Wednesday 17 June 2009
UgandAshis 22 Final examination
UgandAshis 22 Final examination
June 16, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
The clinical officer doing his mock exam was clearly nervous. As I tried to ease his mind with easy questions he blanked. Given our patient we were reviewing was a very complex case. A young man, 28 years with skin lesions (Kaposi sarcoma), generalized body edema, difficulty breathing, extremely anemic and very weak.
Common causes for generalized edema are heart failure (anemia), kidney failure (nephrotic syndrome) and malnutrition (malabsorption). What you look at to determine anemia is palmar and conjunctival pallor, to access the heart I was asking our examination candidate to name some of the findings of our patients fingernails: they were spoon shaped (which you see in iron deficiency anemia, or koilonychias), had fungal infection (discoloration, thickening) and there were signs of cyanosis (blue discoloration of the finger nails)
Not only was the candidate getting quiet, our patient started gasping for breath. He had received 2 blood transfusions over the last 24 hours but was still not doing well at all. As I listened to his chest, felt his jugular artery I noticed he was having no heart beats. I started cardio pulmonary resuscitation as the entire room (about 20 patients) became quiet. Tried adrenaline and while I saw the young man’s father coming into the room with his hands raised to heaven I knew I had to stop.
Wailing broke out straight away as all family members rushed to the deceased. These are moments for which there are no words – just a feeling of deep sorrow. Questions what we could have done better for this individual patient. When examinations of 150 students take place by 8 teachers in 8 subjects it is hard to balance patient care and proper training.
Having contracted HIV and not being on treatment had lead our patient to decline rapidly. When he got admitted we did care for his eminent medical issues. Yet as many fellow people living with HIV/AIDS the presentation to a hospital is often when the patient is either in coma, severely malnourished or suffering from severe opportunistic infections.
As our deceased body was taken to the morgue by the family with 5 minutes the bed had filled up. Examinations continued. There is no doubt there are great needs for patients in Uganda. Besides infra structure medicine and equipment one of the most important is human resources. Trained, qualified and motivated health staff. Our young examination candidate just passed his exam.
Namaskar,
Ashis
June 16, 2009
Kampala, Uganda
The clinical officer doing his mock exam was clearly nervous. As I tried to ease his mind with easy questions he blanked. Given our patient we were reviewing was a very complex case. A young man, 28 years with skin lesions (Kaposi sarcoma), generalized body edema, difficulty breathing, extremely anemic and very weak.
Common causes for generalized edema are heart failure (anemia), kidney failure (nephrotic syndrome) and malnutrition (malabsorption). What you look at to determine anemia is palmar and conjunctival pallor, to access the heart I was asking our examination candidate to name some of the findings of our patients fingernails: they were spoon shaped (which you see in iron deficiency anemia, or koilonychias), had fungal infection (discoloration, thickening) and there were signs of cyanosis (blue discoloration of the finger nails)
Not only was the candidate getting quiet, our patient started gasping for breath. He had received 2 blood transfusions over the last 24 hours but was still not doing well at all. As I listened to his chest, felt his jugular artery I noticed he was having no heart beats. I started cardio pulmonary resuscitation as the entire room (about 20 patients) became quiet. Tried adrenaline and while I saw the young man’s father coming into the room with his hands raised to heaven I knew I had to stop.
Wailing broke out straight away as all family members rushed to the deceased. These are moments for which there are no words – just a feeling of deep sorrow. Questions what we could have done better for this individual patient. When examinations of 150 students take place by 8 teachers in 8 subjects it is hard to balance patient care and proper training.
Having contracted HIV and not being on treatment had lead our patient to decline rapidly. When he got admitted we did care for his eminent medical issues. Yet as many fellow people living with HIV/AIDS the presentation to a hospital is often when the patient is either in coma, severely malnourished or suffering from severe opportunistic infections.
As our deceased body was taken to the morgue by the family with 5 minutes the bed had filled up. Examinations continued. There is no doubt there are great needs for patients in Uganda. Besides infra structure medicine and equipment one of the most important is human resources. Trained, qualified and motivated health staff. Our young examination candidate just passed his exam.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Saturday 13 June 2009
UgandAshis 21. Follow your heart
June 10, 2009
Fort Portal, Uganda
Follow your heart
Dave Matthews sings that it is all out of his hands for now. He makes majestic music and here as I hear I disagree. Everything is in your hands. Follow your heart.
Today I examined 28 clinical officers for their clinical medical exams. Fifteen minutes of grilling of these future health workers in Uganda. Their final practice for the exams which is in a month and after these exams most already have a post somewhere in Uganda. Reviewing their skills has been a blessing.
After candidate 26 I temporary lost the plot and started to feel dehydrated. I hinted at the candidate that I may be more of a patient then the one he was presenting and that I required urgent rehydration. What would his regime be for me? As he looked at me puzzled I informed him that without an urgent pop my brain would disintegrate and I would collapse into a serious shock. One of his colleagues picked up the hint, pocketed a quick 700 shilling and left to get me a Mirinda.
But before I let the innocent clinical officer leave I requested for a blue Mirinda (which does not exist). Giddy and silly yet the patients and the clinical officers understood I was BS them. Three minutes later (and several serious question further) I got my soda pop.
Follow your heart; I came to Uganda after having been here for two months previous in my life. I had some friends yet knew non of them for more than two months. Something is telling me that I made the right choice. My working week is filling up rapidly and soon will be overfilled. I do what I like to do; teach clinical officers, I shall be teaching public health at a university, work in a medical ward (soon a pediatric ward as I review my current diagnostic and therapeutic skills), join a medical clinic, start PGHF (about to launch, prepare for a month tour of the USA, network and create opportunities for friends to come here and work.
Some say you dominated by circumstances or others in the choices in your life. I disagree as long as you follow your heart you create your destiny. Easy? No, yet not living in your true vision and mission in your life is so much harder.
So as some of my friends have taken their two young kids for a 9 months sailing trip of the BVI’s, Cuba and tens of islands more and others have emigrated to Canada. Was it easy for them? Perhaps not yet as I read their travel blogs or when I visit him in Calgary they have dared to live and have all the more fun for it. Walking the talk!
As the clinical officers march off to all parts of the country in a month’s time I wish them the courage to follow their hearts.
Namaskar,
Ashis
June 10, 2009
Fort Portal, Uganda
Follow your heart
Dave Matthews sings that it is all out of his hands for now. He makes majestic music and here as I hear I disagree. Everything is in your hands. Follow your heart.
Today I examined 28 clinical officers for their clinical medical exams. Fifteen minutes of grilling of these future health workers in Uganda. Their final practice for the exams which is in a month and after these exams most already have a post somewhere in Uganda. Reviewing their skills has been a blessing.
After candidate 26 I temporary lost the plot and started to feel dehydrated. I hinted at the candidate that I may be more of a patient then the one he was presenting and that I required urgent rehydration. What would his regime be for me? As he looked at me puzzled I informed him that without an urgent pop my brain would disintegrate and I would collapse into a serious shock. One of his colleagues picked up the hint, pocketed a quick 700 shilling and left to get me a Mirinda.
But before I let the innocent clinical officer leave I requested for a blue Mirinda (which does not exist). Giddy and silly yet the patients and the clinical officers understood I was BS them. Three minutes later (and several serious question further) I got my soda pop.
Follow your heart; I came to Uganda after having been here for two months previous in my life. I had some friends yet knew non of them for more than two months. Something is telling me that I made the right choice. My working week is filling up rapidly and soon will be overfilled. I do what I like to do; teach clinical officers, I shall be teaching public health at a university, work in a medical ward (soon a pediatric ward as I review my current diagnostic and therapeutic skills), join a medical clinic, start PGHF (about to launch, prepare for a month tour of the USA, network and create opportunities for friends to come here and work.
Some say you dominated by circumstances or others in the choices in your life. I disagree as long as you follow your heart you create your destiny. Easy? No, yet not living in your true vision and mission in your life is so much harder.
So as some of my friends have taken their two young kids for a 9 months sailing trip of the BVI’s, Cuba and tens of islands more and others have emigrated to Canada. Was it easy for them? Perhaps not yet as I read their travel blogs or when I visit him in Calgary they have dared to live and have all the more fun for it. Walking the talk!
As the clinical officers march off to all parts of the country in a month’s time I wish them the courage to follow their hearts.
Namaskar,
Ashis
UgandAshis 20. Credit crunch
Fort Portal, Uganda, June 9, 2009.
Credit crunch
Credit crunch is a daily event in Uganda. Here when you do not have money for school fees you visit a friend. When you cannot buy food your family will chip in. Extended families and friendship’s keep even the poorest of poor afloat. Uganda has been blessed by Mother Nature, its fertile soil, heavy rainfall and cheerful people can live off their lands. Digging as they call it here is the way to avoid credit crunch. As I see every day in my own garden, drop a seed and before you know it you have a tree or plant presenting you with the choicest and sweetest of fruits.
As I spend 3-4 days in Fort Portal every time the papaya tree has a fresh fruit my boys pretend it is their duty to eat the fruit. Stating the fruit is ripe and I was away they happily munch away. I aim for a papaya this weekend and have selected a juicy specimen to be consumed in fruit eaters delight.
The rural areas are a perfect place to shop for vegetables and fruits. Yearlong the prices are extremely low. Yet in the towns and cities the crunch can be felt. Sometimes the price of items reminds me of the bag of money you need to take in Europe or the USA to buy food. Here in a road side stall you can have a full meal for $ 1.5 dollars (no not a Mc Burger a proper meal with a nice variety of rice, beans, goat, papaya, cassava and sweet potato)
It is political season as the state of the nation was read out by the current president in power since 1986. A few months ago the government declared that the world wide credit crunch would have no effect on Uganda. It is true that we have no foreclosures of subprime mortgages here or banks requiring bags of gold to prop their carrion loving superfluous lifestyle. Yet NGO’s feel the crunch, donor money is rapidly drying up (could it have to do with the lack of seriousness in the government to address their consistent high scores in international corruption classification?) and as a consequence basic provision of ARV’s for people living with HIV/AIDS are under threat.
Yes to believe that endless economic growth is possible is a world view – one that was shattered in the Western world a while ago – yet here it can be stated that Uganda’s economical growth is record high and reaching for new heights. What is worse that in this country that is a true bread basket for the region and potentially for the world there is acute and chronic malnutrition. And that without a guerilla war in the country. Amartya Sen states that it is amazing to see famines happen in this time and age as they are so easy to anticipate.
Uganda may have severe famine issues very soon – yet the government boasts it will achieve record exports of agricultural product over the next years and massive oil field are about to be exploited.
My guard in the mean time sends his entire salary to his family in Arua, Northern Uganda. The price of their staple foods have doubled over the last week and are looking at another doubling. Amongst the reasons extensive droughts and lack of stored food reserves in the country. For president Museveni credit crunch does not exist for and for my guard it means that since he works for me he is broke as he needs to send all his money to support his family.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Fort Portal, Uganda, June 9, 2009.
Credit crunch
Credit crunch is a daily event in Uganda. Here when you do not have money for school fees you visit a friend. When you cannot buy food your family will chip in. Extended families and friendship’s keep even the poorest of poor afloat. Uganda has been blessed by Mother Nature, its fertile soil, heavy rainfall and cheerful people can live off their lands. Digging as they call it here is the way to avoid credit crunch. As I see every day in my own garden, drop a seed and before you know it you have a tree or plant presenting you with the choicest and sweetest of fruits.
As I spend 3-4 days in Fort Portal every time the papaya tree has a fresh fruit my boys pretend it is their duty to eat the fruit. Stating the fruit is ripe and I was away they happily munch away. I aim for a papaya this weekend and have selected a juicy specimen to be consumed in fruit eaters delight.
The rural areas are a perfect place to shop for vegetables and fruits. Yearlong the prices are extremely low. Yet in the towns and cities the crunch can be felt. Sometimes the price of items reminds me of the bag of money you need to take in Europe or the USA to buy food. Here in a road side stall you can have a full meal for $ 1.5 dollars (no not a Mc Burger a proper meal with a nice variety of rice, beans, goat, papaya, cassava and sweet potato)
It is political season as the state of the nation was read out by the current president in power since 1986. A few months ago the government declared that the world wide credit crunch would have no effect on Uganda. It is true that we have no foreclosures of subprime mortgages here or banks requiring bags of gold to prop their carrion loving superfluous lifestyle. Yet NGO’s feel the crunch, donor money is rapidly drying up (could it have to do with the lack of seriousness in the government to address their consistent high scores in international corruption classification?) and as a consequence basic provision of ARV’s for people living with HIV/AIDS are under threat.
Yes to believe that endless economic growth is possible is a world view – one that was shattered in the Western world a while ago – yet here it can be stated that Uganda’s economical growth is record high and reaching for new heights. What is worse that in this country that is a true bread basket for the region and potentially for the world there is acute and chronic malnutrition. And that without a guerilla war in the country. Amartya Sen states that it is amazing to see famines happen in this time and age as they are so easy to anticipate.
Uganda may have severe famine issues very soon – yet the government boasts it will achieve record exports of agricultural product over the next years and massive oil field are about to be exploited.
My guard in the mean time sends his entire salary to his family in Arua, Northern Uganda. The price of their staple foods have doubled over the last week and are looking at another doubling. Amongst the reasons extensive droughts and lack of stored food reserves in the country. For president Museveni credit crunch does not exist for and for my guard it means that since he works for me he is broke as he needs to send all his money to support his family.
Namaskar,
Ashis
UgandAshis 19. Full moon
UgandAshis 19. Full moon
Kampala, Uganda, June 7, 2009.
Full moon
Pale white
Steady light
Reflection bright
Travel mental kite
Limitless energy abundant
Key to self – locked?
Patterns patter
Alike a mad hatter
Opportunities make unblocked
Balanced coordinates concordant
Silver light embraced delight
Why o why dear Rahu
Must I repeat
Infinite defeat
Makes me cuckoo
Drop, stop, soar to height
In your reflection
I shower in clarity
Pure nudity
No more deflection
The karmic path blazes
Get along
Sing the inner song
Leave behind soma’s hazes
Focus on why
Do not deny
Destiny’s call
Self imposed wall
Crack maya’s veil
Stop the wail
Instead unleash hawk
To message
What needs be said
Feathers point the way
Full moon light the path
Namaskar,
Ashis
Kampala, Uganda, June 7, 2009.
Full moon
Pale white
Steady light
Reflection bright
Travel mental kite
Limitless energy abundant
Key to self – locked?
Patterns patter
Alike a mad hatter
Opportunities make unblocked
Balanced coordinates concordant
Silver light embraced delight
Why o why dear Rahu
Must I repeat
Infinite defeat
Makes me cuckoo
Drop, stop, soar to height
In your reflection
I shower in clarity
Pure nudity
No more deflection
The karmic path blazes
Get along
Sing the inner song
Leave behind soma’s hazes
Focus on why
Do not deny
Destiny’s call
Self imposed wall
Crack maya’s veil
Stop the wail
Instead unleash hawk
To message
What needs be said
Feathers point the way
Full moon light the path
Namaskar,
Ashis
UgandAshis 18. WBS cooking show
UgandAshis 18. WBS cooking show.
Kampala, Uganda, June 7, 2009.
WBS cooking show.
A while ago Reeta, a young Indian-Ugandan host of life style television show on the biggest Ugandan television network and I bumped into each other at a common friend’s place. Nickelangelo quickly grabbed the opportunity to boost about my excellent Indian cooking skills. Innocent me as the Sweish chef of the Muppet Show just nodded. One month later I received a phone call. Why had I not called her and when was I going to cook a proper dish for Reeta? I told Reeta that I spend my weeks in Fort Portal nowadays but that I happened to be free on Monday morning. Ok she said. Get ready to cook a meat dish for her TV show.
A nice way to be introduced to the Ugandan public: the singing and dancing chef. Quickly I consulted my mom and dad for one of our killer dishes, lamb. I spent the last days cleaning the kitchen, stocking up all the oils and spices I need for tomorrow. All that is left for tomorrow is fresh lamb and lemon.
Can I actually cook?
Well while being a student and I did that professionally for some time I did cook quite a lot however over the last 10 years my cooking skills have gotten a bit rusty. It is here in Uganda that I have started cooking again. And now my work is in Fort Portal so all my attempts remain for the weekend r for national Ugandan TV. As many things in life let me go and try, see if I can wing it.
I could also try an act as the Swedish cook of the Muppet Show or give a discourse on the wealth of health by eating well. The meal is supposed to be a meat based meal – many of the Gujarati’s here are vegetarian and some others do not eat onion and garlic. I was expressly requested to make a meat masterpiece.
A report will follow on the outcome of the televised onslaught. Will I get a cult following as the mad dancing and singing Indian cook? Will the meat burn? Shall I pull it off in front of the glaring and unforgiving camera? Can I find meat tomorrow? Will my gas stove function? Shall I be unmasked as a fraudster?
Whatever will happen – I will go down with laughter.
Enjoy the show!
A day after the recording and six days before the airing of the show – the film crew really liked the grub and despite my mediocre cooking pots – nothing burned! And they want to film me again cooking and or telling my life story as a physician or about spirituality. Perhaps I will become a fixed feature on the show. Let us await the response from people I know (and those I do not). Currently I am known as Salvador (a hero from a South American soap) perhaps now I become the doctoring cook.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Kampala, Uganda, June 7, 2009.
WBS cooking show.
A while ago Reeta, a young Indian-Ugandan host of life style television show on the biggest Ugandan television network and I bumped into each other at a common friend’s place. Nickelangelo quickly grabbed the opportunity to boost about my excellent Indian cooking skills. Innocent me as the Sweish chef of the Muppet Show just nodded. One month later I received a phone call. Why had I not called her and when was I going to cook a proper dish for Reeta? I told Reeta that I spend my weeks in Fort Portal nowadays but that I happened to be free on Monday morning. Ok she said. Get ready to cook a meat dish for her TV show.
A nice way to be introduced to the Ugandan public: the singing and dancing chef. Quickly I consulted my mom and dad for one of our killer dishes, lamb. I spent the last days cleaning the kitchen, stocking up all the oils and spices I need for tomorrow. All that is left for tomorrow is fresh lamb and lemon.
Can I actually cook?
Well while being a student and I did that professionally for some time I did cook quite a lot however over the last 10 years my cooking skills have gotten a bit rusty. It is here in Uganda that I have started cooking again. And now my work is in Fort Portal so all my attempts remain for the weekend r for national Ugandan TV. As many things in life let me go and try, see if I can wing it.
I could also try an act as the Swedish cook of the Muppet Show or give a discourse on the wealth of health by eating well. The meal is supposed to be a meat based meal – many of the Gujarati’s here are vegetarian and some others do not eat onion and garlic. I was expressly requested to make a meat masterpiece.
A report will follow on the outcome of the televised onslaught. Will I get a cult following as the mad dancing and singing Indian cook? Will the meat burn? Shall I pull it off in front of the glaring and unforgiving camera? Can I find meat tomorrow? Will my gas stove function? Shall I be unmasked as a fraudster?
Whatever will happen – I will go down with laughter.
Enjoy the show!
A day after the recording and six days before the airing of the show – the film crew really liked the grub and despite my mediocre cooking pots – nothing burned! And they want to film me again cooking and or telling my life story as a physician or about spirituality. Perhaps I will become a fixed feature on the show. Let us await the response from people I know (and those I do not). Currently I am known as Salvador (a hero from a South American soap) perhaps now I become the doctoring cook.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Sunday 7 June 2009
UgandAshis 17 Chicken
UgandAshis 17. Chicken.
Kampala, Uganda, June 7, 2009.
Chicken.
Eagles and hawk circle my house. It is as if they know I am planning to create a minor chicken farm in my back garden. Then we have snakes in the premise as well. Towards the front of the house is a small stretch of swamp land with mongoose, rats, cats and dogs all eyeing the potential of eating my future chicken. To assure my future feathered friends protection I need to construct a chicken ren, double the number of guards, get watch dogs for my chicken and I need to get smart chicken.
During my journeys around Uganda I have seen many a chicken waiting to be rescued and become part of my egg laying brigade however experts have informed me that rural chicken do not like the nightlife infested city neighborhood of Kansanga. I may have to find some party girls. The old dilemma arises again; do chicken lay eggs when there is no cock around? In my experience they do and I have heard the opposite. I just cannot introduce a cock – my friendly relationship with the neighbors may straight away change into a strained one.
For all of you experts on chicken out there. What type of chicken should I go for? The reason for me keeping them is to eat their eggs and see if I can rear a whole flock of prize chicken. Perhaps I can even enter competitions for Miss Chicken. We shall see.
Talking about chicken two of my Iranian friends are about to launch the best chicken restaurant in East Africa. To be called Chicken King they are now looking for another name as it has been registered already. Their terrace overviews one of the busiest streets and night club areas in Kampala called Kabalagala. Sheesa’s or waterpipe will be available and good lounge music. As I cannot indulge myself on my own chicken it is at their restaurant where I will be eating soon.
And what ever happened to bird influenza or even swine flu? On the radar and now it has fallen off again. For those of you who will be visiting Uganda a bird safari amongst other safaris is a must here as if I am not mistaken Uganda has more bird wildlife than any other country in Africa (perhaps in the world) but even here environmental nightmare, encroachment on wet lands, poaching and hunting is common so much so that the national bird of Uganda the crane has reduced from 100000 to 10000 birds over the last 40 years. If ever I get land here it will be a paradise for birds.
A friend told me a story of his youth when he was asked to buy some rice at the shop in his youth. As he walked towards the shop he heard a beautiful bird sing he listened and followed. Then another bird popped up. He kept on following the miraculous tunes and as he wandered home his heart was filled with joy. Such a sweet songs, such a wild colors, an elegance these birds bring to the world. His mom asked him on returning where was the rice. Oh, oh he replied on seeing and hearing nature’s splendor his original task had disappeared from his mind.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Kampala, Uganda, June 7, 2009.
Chicken.
Eagles and hawk circle my house. It is as if they know I am planning to create a minor chicken farm in my back garden. Then we have snakes in the premise as well. Towards the front of the house is a small stretch of swamp land with mongoose, rats, cats and dogs all eyeing the potential of eating my future chicken. To assure my future feathered friends protection I need to construct a chicken ren, double the number of guards, get watch dogs for my chicken and I need to get smart chicken.
During my journeys around Uganda I have seen many a chicken waiting to be rescued and become part of my egg laying brigade however experts have informed me that rural chicken do not like the nightlife infested city neighborhood of Kansanga. I may have to find some party girls. The old dilemma arises again; do chicken lay eggs when there is no cock around? In my experience they do and I have heard the opposite. I just cannot introduce a cock – my friendly relationship with the neighbors may straight away change into a strained one.
For all of you experts on chicken out there. What type of chicken should I go for? The reason for me keeping them is to eat their eggs and see if I can rear a whole flock of prize chicken. Perhaps I can even enter competitions for Miss Chicken. We shall see.
Talking about chicken two of my Iranian friends are about to launch the best chicken restaurant in East Africa. To be called Chicken King they are now looking for another name as it has been registered already. Their terrace overviews one of the busiest streets and night club areas in Kampala called Kabalagala. Sheesa’s or waterpipe will be available and good lounge music. As I cannot indulge myself on my own chicken it is at their restaurant where I will be eating soon.
And what ever happened to bird influenza or even swine flu? On the radar and now it has fallen off again. For those of you who will be visiting Uganda a bird safari amongst other safaris is a must here as if I am not mistaken Uganda has more bird wildlife than any other country in Africa (perhaps in the world) but even here environmental nightmare, encroachment on wet lands, poaching and hunting is common so much so that the national bird of Uganda the crane has reduced from 100000 to 10000 birds over the last 40 years. If ever I get land here it will be a paradise for birds.
A friend told me a story of his youth when he was asked to buy some rice at the shop in his youth. As he walked towards the shop he heard a beautiful bird sing he listened and followed. Then another bird popped up. He kept on following the miraculous tunes and as he wandered home his heart was filled with joy. Such a sweet songs, such a wild colors, an elegance these birds bring to the world. His mom asked him on returning where was the rice. Oh, oh he replied on seeing and hearing nature’s splendor his original task had disappeared from his mind.
Namaskar,
Ashis
UgandAshis 16: Teaching
UgandAshis 16. Teaching.
Kampala, Uganda, June 6, 2009.
Teaching.
Fort Portal, named after a pompous British administrator who never even visited the place lies on a nice elevation. It overlooks Rwenzori mountains and has lots of rain and matooke (plaintin). As there has been findings of oil it is likely the place will boom and bloom. And of old there is the tourism; an abundance of animals (gorilla, baboon, chimpanzee, leopard, lion, kob, spider monkey and a range of birds) and flora can be found. If I make time I can visit some of the wild life parks over the next weeks. I would love to see a gorilla in nature. Or spend a day listening to birds and monkeys.
Talking about monkeys; monkey king or mister monkey is the name the kids have given me here. As I call them monkeys so do they me. A lot of wild life conservation is being done in this area and it is necessary.
The hospital and the clinical officer medical school take up most of my time in Fort Portal. For example this week I did a 3 hour ward round with about 25 students followed by a preparation for their final examinations. We reviewed the clinical examination and looking at the clock it became clear we had been discussing for nearly three hours. Today I added another two hours of theory on diagnosis and treatment of common medical conditions in a hospital setting. To keep them awake I shower them with questions and do a jiggy (dombolo) once in a while.
At the end of the day I ran in to the principal of the clinical officer school. He had booked me for examining in the clinic around 30 (?) students in what is called long and short case. Then I bumped in to the course organizer of the public health school. Next week we meet on Tuesday to see how we can prepare the New Public Health in a bachelor’s course at the Half Moon Monkey Mountain University.
All in all enough there is enough to do for a while. And then I am meeting up with some other local NGO’s with international roots. One of the organization’s founder’s is becoming a close friend and fellow entrepreneur. She has set up a beautiful primary school with boarding facilities and is thinking of constructing buildings for a secondary school. As it is now many children leave around 04.00 am to reach school before 08.00 am and after school they walk back another 4 hours. In theory there is universal primary education, free schooling for all, at least primary level in practice a small contribution is asked for each trimester, as well as uniform money, books, note books and pen/pencil and lunch fees. Despite the total fee may be about $50 only for all expenses for many parents that is out of reach and children stay home until part of the harvest is sold.
In the end most people living in the rural areas have a very low income. Yesterday in the state of the nation President Museveni declared the average income to be $440 dollars a year. Many do not reach $35 a month or just more than a dollar a day. Oil has been found in Lake Albert region, quite a lot in fact. Straight away there is an issue as the government wishes to build a refinery and a oil pipe line through Kenya but have no funding to start the project. The explorers of the oilfields are smaller oil companies and do not have the cash either so they want to export the raw unprocessed oil. The final question will be if the average Ugandan benefits from the rich resources found in the country. Sad news is Uganda scored a third place in Transparancy International Corruption Index.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Kampala, Uganda, June 6, 2009.
Teaching.
Fort Portal, named after a pompous British administrator who never even visited the place lies on a nice elevation. It overlooks Rwenzori mountains and has lots of rain and matooke (plaintin). As there has been findings of oil it is likely the place will boom and bloom. And of old there is the tourism; an abundance of animals (gorilla, baboon, chimpanzee, leopard, lion, kob, spider monkey and a range of birds) and flora can be found. If I make time I can visit some of the wild life parks over the next weeks. I would love to see a gorilla in nature. Or spend a day listening to birds and monkeys.
Talking about monkeys; monkey king or mister monkey is the name the kids have given me here. As I call them monkeys so do they me. A lot of wild life conservation is being done in this area and it is necessary.
The hospital and the clinical officer medical school take up most of my time in Fort Portal. For example this week I did a 3 hour ward round with about 25 students followed by a preparation for their final examinations. We reviewed the clinical examination and looking at the clock it became clear we had been discussing for nearly three hours. Today I added another two hours of theory on diagnosis and treatment of common medical conditions in a hospital setting. To keep them awake I shower them with questions and do a jiggy (dombolo) once in a while.
At the end of the day I ran in to the principal of the clinical officer school. He had booked me for examining in the clinic around 30 (?) students in what is called long and short case. Then I bumped in to the course organizer of the public health school. Next week we meet on Tuesday to see how we can prepare the New Public Health in a bachelor’s course at the Half Moon Monkey Mountain University.
All in all enough there is enough to do for a while. And then I am meeting up with some other local NGO’s with international roots. One of the organization’s founder’s is becoming a close friend and fellow entrepreneur. She has set up a beautiful primary school with boarding facilities and is thinking of constructing buildings for a secondary school. As it is now many children leave around 04.00 am to reach school before 08.00 am and after school they walk back another 4 hours. In theory there is universal primary education, free schooling for all, at least primary level in practice a small contribution is asked for each trimester, as well as uniform money, books, note books and pen/pencil and lunch fees. Despite the total fee may be about $50 only for all expenses for many parents that is out of reach and children stay home until part of the harvest is sold.
In the end most people living in the rural areas have a very low income. Yesterday in the state of the nation President Museveni declared the average income to be $440 dollars a year. Many do not reach $35 a month or just more than a dollar a day. Oil has been found in Lake Albert region, quite a lot in fact. Straight away there is an issue as the government wishes to build a refinery and a oil pipe line through Kenya but have no funding to start the project. The explorers of the oilfields are smaller oil companies and do not have the cash either so they want to export the raw unprocessed oil. The final question will be if the average Ugandan benefits from the rich resources found in the country. Sad news is Uganda scored a third place in Transparancy International Corruption Index.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Wednesday 3 June 2009
UgandAshis 15. Fort Portal – Clinical Officer School
Kampala, Uganda, June 3, 2009.
Fort Portal – Clinical Officer School
As you meander the overcrowded wards in the district hospital in Fort Portal you cannot avoid the ubiquitous red-green and blue labeled young clinical officers in training. The clinical officer plays an important role in the Ugandan healthcare system. Following some statistics to show you why:
Uganda has about 30 million people and trains about 150 doctors each year. Given the relative low salary of about 250-300 dollars per month many seek employment overseas. There is a local (rural-urban), regional (Uganda to South Africa/Cameroon) and global (Uganda to UK and USA) brain drain leading to about 75 of those doctors to leave the country. It is said there are 2000 doctors working in the whole of Uganda and about 4000 nurses (less sure about that one). This makes a whopping 1 doctor per 15000 people. Or as I just read the Netherlands trains 3000 doctors a year for a population of 17 million.
Here when you enter the district hospital we are supposed to have 40 doctors as this hospital is the referral center for 5 districts and about 1.5 million people. Reality is 10 doctors! Not bad for a 400 bed hospital where about 15 deliveries take place a day and 3 caesarean sections. As you can understand it is the clinical officers that clerk all admissions. When a case is complex the nurses and the clinical officers call for a doctor to give a consultation.
To make a living most doctors have private chambers. They receive patients there who can add to their meager income. The hospital in the afternoon will have only 1 or 2 doctors. The on call obstetrician and surgeon, sometimes a medical officer stays behind as well.
Back to the clinical officers; they get a three year theoretical and practical training. There are six schools in Uganda (3 private and 3 public). The school in Fort Portal alone churns out 123 exam candidates this year. Due to lack of funding, limited number of clinical instructors, old teaching materials and books studying is not easy for the students. There is an overhead projector for sheets but none for power point presentations.
Doing ward rounds with colleagues attracts flocks of white coats with red, green and blue labels. After seeing all patients in the early morning selected complex cases are discusses and examined with these students. Once I started doing this I was requested to meet the head of the school. This year’s group have their final examination coming up in a month’s time and can always use more clinical lecturing. If I could make them a mock exam, or better train them clinically that would be wonderful.
As I boarded the bus to Kampala I made a list of things I needed. Perhaps some of you can help. As I find many power point presentations online for clinical medicine nowadays does anyone know if there are mock exams for medical students on-line. Why reinvent the wheel when the work has been done already. The projector I am looking at is a friend’s who has borrowed to another friend who is in Gulu now.
I should be moving towards the bus now. Over the last few days I have been around Kampala to get a white coat, medical instruments, internet access, fixing my computer etcetera, etcetera. Let us hope for internet access from Fort Portal.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Kampala, Uganda, June 3, 2009.
Fort Portal – Clinical Officer School
As you meander the overcrowded wards in the district hospital in Fort Portal you cannot avoid the ubiquitous red-green and blue labeled young clinical officers in training. The clinical officer plays an important role in the Ugandan healthcare system. Following some statistics to show you why:
Uganda has about 30 million people and trains about 150 doctors each year. Given the relative low salary of about 250-300 dollars per month many seek employment overseas. There is a local (rural-urban), regional (Uganda to South Africa/Cameroon) and global (Uganda to UK and USA) brain drain leading to about 75 of those doctors to leave the country. It is said there are 2000 doctors working in the whole of Uganda and about 4000 nurses (less sure about that one). This makes a whopping 1 doctor per 15000 people. Or as I just read the Netherlands trains 3000 doctors a year for a population of 17 million.
Here when you enter the district hospital we are supposed to have 40 doctors as this hospital is the referral center for 5 districts and about 1.5 million people. Reality is 10 doctors! Not bad for a 400 bed hospital where about 15 deliveries take place a day and 3 caesarean sections. As you can understand it is the clinical officers that clerk all admissions. When a case is complex the nurses and the clinical officers call for a doctor to give a consultation.
To make a living most doctors have private chambers. They receive patients there who can add to their meager income. The hospital in the afternoon will have only 1 or 2 doctors. The on call obstetrician and surgeon, sometimes a medical officer stays behind as well.
Back to the clinical officers; they get a three year theoretical and practical training. There are six schools in Uganda (3 private and 3 public). The school in Fort Portal alone churns out 123 exam candidates this year. Due to lack of funding, limited number of clinical instructors, old teaching materials and books studying is not easy for the students. There is an overhead projector for sheets but none for power point presentations.
Doing ward rounds with colleagues attracts flocks of white coats with red, green and blue labels. After seeing all patients in the early morning selected complex cases are discusses and examined with these students. Once I started doing this I was requested to meet the head of the school. This year’s group have their final examination coming up in a month’s time and can always use more clinical lecturing. If I could make them a mock exam, or better train them clinically that would be wonderful.
As I boarded the bus to Kampala I made a list of things I needed. Perhaps some of you can help. As I find many power point presentations online for clinical medicine nowadays does anyone know if there are mock exams for medical students on-line. Why reinvent the wheel when the work has been done already. The projector I am looking at is a friend’s who has borrowed to another friend who is in Gulu now.
I should be moving towards the bus now. Over the last few days I have been around Kampala to get a white coat, medical instruments, internet access, fixing my computer etcetera, etcetera. Let us hope for internet access from Fort Portal.
Namaskar,
Ashis
UgandAshis 14. Plans
UgandAshis 14. Plans
Kampala, Uganda, June 3, 2009.
Plans
So it has been two months here now. Following a short overview for PGHF and myself so far. Found a house that functions as a guest house for all you visitors, as an office for all the future staff, as a storage facility and as my personal home. I got a working permit and registration as a doctor for the whole of the East African region. The multi entry visa stamp is in my passport. Found three different posts in Fort Portal; doctor in the wards, lecturer at a public health course and clinical instructor at a school for clinical officers. The registration of PGHF as a Ugandan not for profit is about to happen.
There are several organizations, local and international with which we are exploring how and when to collaborate. Given our network in Fort Portal it is likely we will start working there but I am planning to visit Gulu, Mbale as well (Northern and Western Uganda). As a medical organization one of the first things to do is to identify local smart partner-NGO’s that have a track record of quality work with innovative and creative approach. I have the impression we could have found some very strong partners in Fort Portal with similar mission and vision.
One of the earlier blogs I may have written about the young men I saw at Lake Albert who had a chronic and lethal disease called schistosomiasis or Bilharzia. You get it by entering the water that is infested with the vector, snails and the causative agent, a helminth (fluke or work). The medical post does not have the treatment for this disease. In fact treatment is only one tablet of a medicine called Praziquantal, but as people re-enter the water all the time, re-infection is very common. Prevention of the disease requires community mobilization, education, health promotion, change in sanitation behavior, building and maintenance of latrines, killing of the snails with chemicals.
Most people in Semlike region or Lake Albert region do not have access to medication or health staff. It is there where a mobile clinic that supports the local government health care system can be instrumental in a better health for all. The doctors in the hospital are happy to join as are clinical officers, nurses and lab technicians. Often lack of vehicles, gasoline, materials or bad roads hinders health and other programs.
My travel plans for 2009 are as follows:
1. Field visits to partner ngo’s in Mubende, Buvuma Islands, Fort Portal region, Mbale and Gulu
2. Visit to the USA for a month in October
3. Visit to India for 2 weeks in December/January
Visitors confirmed so far
1. A young Dutch doctor, future maxillo-facial surgeon
2. A young public health doctor from the USA
After exploration and registration the phase of grant/project proposal writing is about to take off.
Namaskar,
Ashis
Kampala, Uganda, June 3, 2009.
Plans
So it has been two months here now. Following a short overview for PGHF and myself so far. Found a house that functions as a guest house for all you visitors, as an office for all the future staff, as a storage facility and as my personal home. I got a working permit and registration as a doctor for the whole of the East African region. The multi entry visa stamp is in my passport. Found three different posts in Fort Portal; doctor in the wards, lecturer at a public health course and clinical instructor at a school for clinical officers. The registration of PGHF as a Ugandan not for profit is about to happen.
There are several organizations, local and international with which we are exploring how and when to collaborate. Given our network in Fort Portal it is likely we will start working there but I am planning to visit Gulu, Mbale as well (Northern and Western Uganda). As a medical organization one of the first things to do is to identify local smart partner-NGO’s that have a track record of quality work with innovative and creative approach. I have the impression we could have found some very strong partners in Fort Portal with similar mission and vision.
One of the earlier blogs I may have written about the young men I saw at Lake Albert who had a chronic and lethal disease called schistosomiasis or Bilharzia. You get it by entering the water that is infested with the vector, snails and the causative agent, a helminth (fluke or work). The medical post does not have the treatment for this disease. In fact treatment is only one tablet of a medicine called Praziquantal, but as people re-enter the water all the time, re-infection is very common. Prevention of the disease requires community mobilization, education, health promotion, change in sanitation behavior, building and maintenance of latrines, killing of the snails with chemicals.
Most people in Semlike region or Lake Albert region do not have access to medication or health staff. It is there where a mobile clinic that supports the local government health care system can be instrumental in a better health for all. The doctors in the hospital are happy to join as are clinical officers, nurses and lab technicians. Often lack of vehicles, gasoline, materials or bad roads hinders health and other programs.
My travel plans for 2009 are as follows:
1. Field visits to partner ngo’s in Mubende, Buvuma Islands, Fort Portal region, Mbale and Gulu
2. Visit to the USA for a month in October
3. Visit to India for 2 weeks in December/January
Visitors confirmed so far
1. A young Dutch doctor, future maxillo-facial surgeon
2. A young public health doctor from the USA
After exploration and registration the phase of grant/project proposal writing is about to take off.
Namaskar,
Ashis
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