Welcome
Rotary International VTT Medical Mission to Uganda 2017 Cherriney Kondor D7390 PR Co-Chair 1.18.18
Uganda posed both a challenge and a great opportunity for the members of the Rotary International VTT 2017 health team lead by PDG Connie Spark of Rotary York East District 7390. Located at the head of Africa’s famed Nile river, Uganda is nested in the land locked southern region between South Sudan to the north, Kenya to the East and the democratic Republic of Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The goal was to teach, expand the knowledge and skills of doctors and students at Entebbe Hospital. Further the RI Team, worked with the Uganda health professionals eight hours each day to implement the new training delivered each morning. The challenge was to meet the health needs of as many residents as possible during the allotted ten day mission. With an average income of less than $2.00 per day and an exploding population averaging 15 years of age, the team set to work at Entebbe Hospital in Nkuma near Lake Victoria.
The mission provided treatment of adults and children in Vision care, Dental procedures, General Health, Women and Children’s Health, Malaria Prevention, and Pediatrics. Uganda 2017 was a VTT mission meaning that physicians on the team spent the mornings training local personnel so they could carry on the medical work after the team was gone. PDG Spark put together an international team from four countries: United States, Brazil, and Denmark, joining host country Uganda. The mission consisted of three parts: Train, Sustain, and Teach: Train doctors, Sustain the practices and enable them to Teach others. This will result in continued health care after the team has departed.
Mornings consisted of training staff. Local Rotary and its active Rotaractors got the word out on free medical and vision services. And they came by the thousands. The vision team worked tirelessly to screen hundreds and provide the correct vision care and glasses. Demand was steady and strong because most locals have never seen an eye doctor nor had their vision tested. One component of the Eye Team was to treat albino Africans who are still often attacked because it is thought parts of their body are good luck. Their hands and fingers are targeted as talisman resulting in wounds and scars. In conjunction with the Association for Albinism, Dr. Robert McClenathan and practitioners on the vision and health teams treated many young folks with albinism for low vision, skin conditions and other related issues.
“Our main mission was to teach interns and residents from the local hospitals modern dental procedures,” clarifies Dr. Dave Zelley. His 9 member Dental team brought the necessary supplies and instruments thanks to the amazing generosity of the Dentsply Corporation. The VTT made possible a full new operatory of equipment including a chair, light, digital X-ray and an autoclave. For the grand opening, beloved Ugandan and then Rotary President-elect Sam F. Owori helped dedicate the surgery. At local schools brushing techniques along with oral hygiene practices were demonstrated. Then each student received their own tooth brush and paste.
Zelley continues, “After the lecture we gave a live demonstration of the procedure that was taught and then supervised the students in the clinic practicing what they just learned. The students were highly enthusiastic and will fill in the need for dental care professionals. While we could have provided only patient care it is much better to teach and provide care to thousands of patients for decades to come.”
The Medical Health Team lectured to full class rooms then headed to village locations to treat a variety of problems. After a ferry ridge across Lake Victoria and a trip across red clay roads, the medical team found a comatose elderly woman and transported her back to Nkuma where she miraculously recovered. Mosquito borne illness, malaria is the leading cause of illness in this African region. One component of the Uganda mission was to disburse 12,000 malaria nets in remote villages.
“My project aimed to improve infant mortality rates (135/1000) through an intervention on maternal health. Young women and children are the obvious segments implicated in this, particularly the poorest ones living in rural areas.” clarifies Brazilian Juliana Samel, team member and medical translator.
PDG Spark notes, “As Arch Klumfph said 100 years ago, The Rotary Foundation will support “Rotary doing good in the world”. His $26.50 Rotary Foundation seed continues to grow and propagate good in hearts and minds across the globe. In the wake of this $140,000 mission opportunity, Uganda 2017 will bear much fruit today as health care workers continue to practice their new techniques in this vibrant growing nation. For a video overview on this inspiring mission please see: