Uganda – Children and Women’s health

My name is Eleanor Johns and I am currently in the 3^rd year of my medical degree at Brighton and Sussex Medical School.  In August, I am volunteering at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda and would love it if you would consider sponsoring me. 

 

I will be spending 3 weeks working with children and new-born babies in paediatric medicine and 3 weeks working with pregnant women in the department of obstetrics.   I will also participate in an outreach programme with Alive Medical Centre in Namuwongo slums for people affected by HIV/AIDs. 

 

Mulago hospital is one of the busiest hospitals in the world.  It is a national referral centre accepting the most severe cases in Uganda and East Africa. 33,000 babies are born in the hospital every year; an average of 90 babies a day, significantly more than the UK.  There is also an increase in serious paediatric admissions, with recent figures showing a rise of 34 children per 1000 suffering with severe malnutrition coupled with a case fatality rate of 24%.  On top of this there are only 0.7 accredited surgeons per 100,000 of the population; this is compared with the UK's 15.2 per 100,000 making more complex cases almost impossible to cope with effectively. 

 

For these reasons, I hope to be able to help wherever I can.  I also hope to learn from medical professionals and patients at Mulago.  This is a vital step towards one day being able to work for non-governmental organisations such as UNICEF or MSF all over the world in areas where medical care is so vital: something which I am incredibly passionate about.