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Published: June 14th 2016
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Sunday meant the start of a brand new week here at Rugazi Health Center IV! I (Brooklyn) will be journeying with you through this next post, letting you know all about the week and its joys and challenges.
All 18 of us- Canadians and Ugandans alike- took a journey to the twin lakes and a local cave on Sunday! Although there are many “crater lakes” around (lakes that are found in craters, or valleys between hills), there are two particular lakes that fall on either side of a road that are said to be twins, with one formed from the other. We did the walk in the afternoon after a flash flood rain storm, so we definitely got muddy going down the trails and dirt roads… but it was worth it! The lakes are beautiful sight to see. From there we walked to the base of one of the crater lakes into a cave that was used during the war as a hide-out for rebels. It is interesting to learn more about the history of Uganda- although I had done a project on the country before coming, you learn so much more from being immersed in the culture and being
able to learn and see for oneself the things you only read in history books (or more applicable nowadays… online!).
As nursing students, we rotate sites at the health center each week. Last week we spent a week in either Outpatient, Inpatient, or Maternity, which means that this week we have rotated and had the opportunity to try a new ward! Myself (Brooklyn) and Carrie enjoyed maternity this week, where I assisted in the delivery of a healthy newborn girl on my first day. After that, all of the local health care professionals told me that the next one I would deliver myself- and they were right! Thursday morning I was able to catch a healthy baby girl. Joline worked in outpatient assessing and admitting patients, and Britney and Dayna experienced the inpatient department, which include pediatrics, male, and female wards. Working in the health center, it’s very interesting to be working with students from other colleges here- there are Nursing students, clinical medicine students (like doctors but only for Rural Uganda), Medicine, etc. They have a wealth of knowledge that is good to learn from. I have been blessed to get to know a few of the nursing
and clinical medicine students well and gain knowledge about malaria, HIV, and overall health care in a country where supplies are low and drugs are not available. One certainly gains a new appreciation for our health care system at home in Canada, flaws and all, when you see those who don’t get treatment simply because they cannot afford it.
In the afternoons we once again focused on our assigned communities. Dayna and myself are working with our other team members (for a total of 8 health care professionals) in addressing a health challenge particular to the local village of Kasarara I, located about a 20-minute walk from the health center in the hills of the region. We visited the local VHT (village health team member who is a community member who receives basic health training and to whom the village feels able to go to with health concerns before making the journey to a health care center) to gather more information on the community and the specific challenges facing its health. From our research over the past two weeks, we have now settled on addressing the issue of Family Planning. The average number of children per woman is 6-7,
although many have much more than that. Although culturally having many children brings a wife good status, it is becoming more common that women would like to be able to control when they have children and how many. However, birth control (“family planning” as it is called here) is generally not well understood, and those who try it often experience many side effects which cause them to stop using it. And so, we have chosen our health challenge and have begun to gather more information from the community by doing home visits and asking a number of questions to both men and women about family planning, the use of it, and their understanding. As we white people (“muzungu”) visit, children wave and shout, and people stare… but apparently it is good for our survey as people are eager to have us in their homes and listen to what we have to say! There are perks to standing out, hopefully those perks help people learn more and help eventually change health outcomes.
The other team, which includes Joline, Britany, and Carrie are working with another village, Nakashara II, towards the health challenge of male involvement in antenatal care. They have
been gathering information from health care records, and conducting survey interviews with the pregnant women who come to the Antenatal Clinic on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. It is an important challenge since there is so much that happens here is dependent on the man of the house- what food can be bought, whether the mother may visit a clinic, and how children are raised is often dependent on the male’s wishes. If males are more involved in the antenatal period, the hope is that they will continue to be involved in the life of the child in a positive way to impact the health of the whole family.
Outside of our mornings at the Rugazi Health Centre IV and afternoons spent in the community, we have had opportunities to see other things and gain more amazing experiences here in Uganda! Thursday was Dana’s birthday, so we were able to go out and enjoy an evening with our team and do some dancing! Friday we experienced some more local cuisine- the best pork I have ever had by far. Saturday a few of the girls went to Mbarara to get some supplies- we will be cooking our team a Canadian
meal Sunday evening! Everyone is very excited to try something new (we are making a Ugandan version of the taco… using beans, rice, vegetables, and “chappati” instead of shells)- Should be good!! While they were out getting supplies, Carrie and I along with another Canadian student went swimming at a nearby pool. It was absolutely beautiful, overlooking the Queen Elizabeth National Park, you can see forever across the Ugandan landscape. Everything is so lush and green, one can’t help but admire the beauty all around. It has been an absolute pleasure to be able to spend the past few weeks in this country, working and learning so much while also hopefully having an impact on those people we meet.
This coming week is sure to hold many more challenges, lessons, joys, and laughs, I am excited for what will come! It is a pleasure to be able to share life for these weeks with both fellow Canadians and all of those who call Uganda home!
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