by Sr. Dr. Maura Lynch

When Kitovu Fistula Camps (four regular camps per year) were first inaugurated, Barbara Doherty, wife of Dr. Peter Doherty (whose generosity built the first fistula repair unit in Uganda and was officially opened in 2005) suggested and funded that a new dress to be given to each repaired fistula lady on discharge.  As we dressed the happy women in their new dresses, it struck us that they also needed new panties to celebrate their renewed dignity after successful operations (when incontinent, the women with fistula used rags and plastic bags to hide their constant wetness).  I mentioned the need to other women as I fund-raised by relating the plight of the women with birth injury incontinence in Uganda.  Soon gifts of panties began to arrive by post to Kitovu and the “Panty Project” was born.  Up to the present, we receive gift packets of new panties mostly from my friends in Ireland (Yvonne and Mai) and through Church of Ireland in Kildare (and even “seconds” from other organizations and firms — F/F Tesco here sent us panties and bras).

And the excitement continues every time we distribute the lovely panties to each lady after repair.  She is discharged dry, happy and with new dignity to be re-inserted (re-integrated) into the community and social life from which she felt she was previously rejected and marginalized.

Nutrition Rehabilitation. Severely malnourished children are admitted at the hospital for nutrition rehabilitation and treatment. These go back healthy and happy. The care takers are also taught how to feed the children on a balanced diet using locally available foods. This has brought incredible results in the lives of hundreds of children. Every single dollar given towards this work saves lives.

Construction project. Kitovu Hospital is currently fundraising for the construction of a new multipurpose building to replace the Out Patient Department (OPD). The current OPD, which was constructed in 1955 by the Medical Missionaries of Mary, can not accommodate today’s growing patient population. This project will bring a number of services under one roof. It will include the medical ward, laboratory, data room, doctors’ offices and a conference room. The project will be constructed in phases. Water which will be harvested from this building will reduce the cost of water by approximately 40%. Below is the Architectural plan for the New OPD.

You can be part of the team to implement this project

Radiology Department. This is one of the center pillar departments in the hospital. The current x-ray  has served for 15 years and it is beyond its usage lifespan. It almost triples the dose of radiation during operation. There is a great need to buy a new one. This will have a huge impact to patients and the staff.

Thank you for your concern towards the people of Uganda.

Supporting children beyond nutrition:

Severely malnourished children are admitted to the hospital for nutrition rehabilitation. These go back happy and are even enrolled in school. If you wish to support a needy child beyond nutrition rehabilitation you can contact the projects office through the Complex Director.

A total of 110 Laboratory students graduated on 5th Dec 2013. These students are professionally equipped in laboratory techniques and they are bridging the gap of scarcity of laboratory technicians within the area. Laboratory Training School is now planning the construction of the multipurpose hall which will enable the school to have a place for assemblies and other vital meetings. These are very vital in the training of Lab students. Your support counts much towards the implementation of projects at the hospital.  We are proud of these graduates.

Dr. John Kelly was a long-time friend and visiting fistula surgeon at Kitovu Hospital.  We will greatly miss his influence and expertise as well as his encouragement to keep fighting for the prevention of fistulas around the world.

Read more on Dr. Kelly

If you wish to make a donation in memory of Dr. Kelly for fistula work at Kitovu Hospital, please indicate this when making a donation through Medical Missionaries of Mary.

October 11, Dr. Mike Bishop from the UK and Dr. Jerry Putman from the US arrived and began assessments right away on waiting fistula patients.  By the end of the camp October 24th, 67 women were operated. Of these; 44 of them received surgery for childbirth injury and 23 had fistula repair. All these are receiving excellent follow-up care from the full-time staff in the VVF Ward.  Dr. John Lenberger also from the UK came for training and plans to return as a VVF surgeon for future camps.

Thank you all our donors for the generous support that has enabled the VVF program to restore dignity among fistula women.

Linda Chamberlain from the US brought a knitting group to teach the patients how to knit and crochet.  Linda is passionate about informing the western world about the suffering of women with Vesico-Vaginal Fistula, and she raises funds that pay for surgeries for the VVF patients.

See Linda’s Facebook page:
The Fistula Project-Kitovu

Knitting groups from all over America send squares to Linda.  She joins them into blankets and presents them to the VVF patients as a gift of love from woman-to-woman, US-to-Uganda.

They taught patients to knit pouches to hold personal items.

We are hoping to expand the Kitovu Hospital Baby Unit.  Currently we have 5 dedicated nurses, but hope to increase our staffing to 10 nurses (to allow 2 nurses to be on-shift at the same time).  This will enable us to look after babies that have been born outside Kitovu Hospital, but are admitted unwell to the OPD.  This is important as we want these babies to be able to access our well-trained nurses and our baby-specific equipment, in order to improve their chances of surviving.

If you, or anyone you know, has a real heart for sick or tiny babies, then please do get in touch, so that we can tell you how YOU can help!

Contact us at: kitovu@ucmb.co.ug

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

During the October 2012 VVF camp we have been visited by a group of 8 ladies from the USA.  They have been doing very valuable work teaching the VVF patients how to knit, crochet and sew.  The VVF ladies have enjoyed these activities hugely and every where you look you see women knitting!

Please visit their page on Facebook for more information and to see photos of what they have been doing.  Either search ‘The Fistula Project at Kitovu Hospital in Masaka Uganda’ or use the link below.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fistula-Project-at-Kitovu-Hospital-in-Masaka-Uganda/153773114681528

A plan has been made for a new Multipurpose Building at Kitovu Hospital.  The building is designed to replace the existing Outpatient Department building which was built in the 1950s and is small, poorly planned and lacks the capacity to meet growing demand.  The project will bring services nearer to patients as many departments will be under one roof instead of spread out around the hospital complex.

The project will also enable the hospital to put in place a cost effective iron sheet water harvesting system.  This system would collect 50,000 liters of rain water per rainy season and this would greatly reduce expenditure on water bills.  A centralized solar energy system would also be installed.

The project design is made up of the following:

• Outpatient Department (OPD)
• Laboratory
• X-Ray
• Central Drug Store
• Medical Ward
• Casualty Ward
• Pharmacy
• Ante natal  care clinic
• Archives, records, data bank and library
• Mortuary

The expected impact of the project will be to improve health care services for all patients through increased access to quality medical services.  We expect a 40% rise in provision of health services to the targeted population.

We require sponsorship in order to complete this project.  If you are able to assist please contact us.