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
Saturday, 13 June 2009
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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