Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital

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Hello again, and welcome to this little snapshot our life in Mbarara, Uganda! This week brought us nurses another week of working at the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH)- it’s a huge hospital that supplies a large portion of the country’s referral needs. Britany and Carrie are on maternity, I (Brooklyn) am on surgical emergency/paediatric surgery, and Joline and Dayna are on paediatric ward. For some (Carrie, Dayna, and Joline), this was their first week back in the city hospital because they stayed behind in Rugazi, so it was a week for them to get used to this new environment!

Working at this hospital has been such a joy for me, as I have been able to really get to know the health care system and the challenges associated with living here and accessing care. This week I got to experience a small bit of what it is like to be a patient here when I ended up needing to get seen by a doctor- the challenge of finding the doctor, of knowing where to go, and of waiting in the right lines are all very real! There are no signs, and directions consist of “on the other side”, or “on this side”, instead of which building or left/right directions. Doctors also don’t have regular clinic hours, and as such may be found on their ward, in a meeting room, the nurses’ office, a lab, in outpatient, or simply somewhere else. So when I was eventually told who I must see, it still took a long time to actually find the right doctor. I’m also a “muzungo” (white person) too… which gave me extra attention and a visit with the correct doctor a lot faster. I couldn’t even imagine how hard it would be if you were from rural Uganda and had been referred to his huge hospital and expected to find your way to the various places like the doctor, ward, private pharmacy, etc.

Tuesday was a big day for all 12 of us Canadian students, as we teamed up with 4 Vets Without Borders students to put on a nutrition and cervical cancer education day at Kahenda, a rural village about an hour from Mbarara town. Cervical cancer is very prevalent in Uganda- it accounts for 80% of all female cancers. However, screening and testing for it is still not accessible, especially for those who find themselves older or living rural. The Vets without Borders students have been working with this village in relation to a Goat Pass-On Project, but had been hearing from the community members about their desire for more health teaching and screening. Knowing that we were here, they gave us a shout! It was a joy to be able to join them for the day and provide a brief presentation, answer their questions, and then provide external screening and referrals. In addition to the teaching given formally, I (Brooklyn), together with a nutrition student (Sarah), was able to talk with a group of secondary school girls (Grade 6-8 ish) about sexual health and female health. The girls had so many questions- many myths and misconceptions circulate among village members, so it is so important to teach young girls about their health, about ‘family planning’ (birth control), STIs and the importance of staying in school and receiving an education. They day ended with a delicious traditional Ugandan dinner prepared for us by a local woman; it was a wonderful end to a successful day.

Wednesday I had the opportunity to visit a local children’s home (orphanage) with Richele (another Canadian nurse) and some local medical students. This home provides for many children- from newborn to school-aged. I have had the privilege of volunteering at many orphanages in the past, but I must say that this home is caring for more children than any I had previously experienced. I am not sure on how many in total, but we spent some time with the toddlers and younger children before going to the babies room. The home currently has about 20 babies under 1-year who stay in one room with caregivers on full-time rotations. I am amazed by how they care for so many little ones, it would be a difficult but rewarding joy I am sure. We were able to spend time with the babies, give them hugs, love, and attention for a few hours. It is always a blessing to be able to spend time with such special children.



And that was our week! Between working at the hospital on our various units, teaching at Kahenda, going to the orphanage, and just living our lives here, our week has already finished. I am looking forward to continuing to learn and grow in my knowledge and skills as I partner with the hospital and the many dedicated health care professionals here.

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