Our first stop this morning was Mulago Hospital, the largest public hospital in Uganda. We were a bit nervous about what sad things we might see there. However, we also know that health care is one of the greatest challenges in Africa and that we could learn a lot from a visit to this major hospital. Upon arrival, we saw lots of people outside, cooking food and washing clothes. Jeremey explained to us that, while the health care at Mulago is generally free, families must supply everything for a sick family member - sheets, towels, food, etc. As the bus went up the hill and along the many small buildings of Mulago, we saw vendors on the side of the road selling everything from food to baby-size coffins. Those coffins were a sobering sight and foreshadowed what we would learn about the mortality rate of the children in the malnutrition ward.
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| Edith, one of the EAC counselors, greets us at Mulago where she arranged for our tour of the Malnutrition Ward |
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| Sarah, one of the dedicated social workers at Mulago, tells us about her work and about the people that she serves |
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There are three sections of the Children's Malnutrition Ward - Here is a little peek of the "Zebra" ward
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| One of the buildings of the Mulago Children's Malnutrtion Ward |
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| These happy paintings were a result of a major and unusual donation to the malnutrition ward - The Elephant Ward is for the healthiest children who are almost ready to be discharged from the hospital |
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| We offered a much needed donation of soap and other supplies from UA to the families of the children in the hospital |
As you can well imagine, it was not easy to to tour the children's malnutrition ward because we saw babies and small children suffering with their concerned parents and grandparents beside them. Sarah, our guide through the ward, explained to us the many factors which contribute to the malnutrition of children - HIV, poverty, neglect, lack of education, etc. While we certainly felt overwhelemed by these issues, we also heard hope in what Sarah had to say. Sarah explained that they have learned that they must educate and support the mothers in many ways in order to keep the children well. So, Mulago has begun all sorts of classes for the mothers, often teaching them vocational skills, such as cooking and sewing, so that they can have an income for their families.
It's worth mentioning that the conditions that we saw in the children's mlnutrition ward were very good - there were plenty of beds and plenty of staff attending to the patients. However, Sarah pointed out that there are many times when this is not the case and that they get overcrowded. Also, this particular ward has special funding that the adult wards do not have so those wards are not in such good condition and are far more crowded than what we witnessed.
This visit, as we anticipated, was difficult but important. We were priveleged to be there and to be able to leave a tiny gift behind. Even though we didn't photograph the families in the ward, I am certain that we will carry their faces in our minds and hearts for a long time...
