Earlier postings introduced our support for a new clinic at Pader, Northern Uganda, and outlined a Mobile Clinic pilot completed with the help of Dunavant.
Irene Curley sent the following update and photos:
In the last few weeks staff have been staying at a local guesthouse whilst final arrangements were being made before they could move into the staff house, on site at the clinic. This week we will send a truck from Kampala with more furniture and staff will move in.
Ocan Micheal (contractor), Atim Hope Rachel (Administrator/Project Manager), Nakagolo Scholastica (Medical Clincal Officer) and Irene Curley (IMC Directorate)
We currently have 2 staff employed – Rachel (Project Manager) and Schola (Clinical Officer). She is working with Moses in Lira to recruit a nurse who will travel to IHK for some intensive training. She/he will have the benefit of the local language as has Rachel who is also from Lira. Schola from Mbale is a wonderful addition to the staff and is having a great impact on services there. She is also learning to speak Luo!
Things are moving on well I believe after a bit of slow start, I think everyone missed Tom as he was involved in getting so many things off the ground. However, the building work has been completed more or less at the clinic and they are providing temporary roofing and flooring for the waiting room area. This will be beneficial in getting the patients away from the clinical treatment areas and provide more confidentiality for patients.
The dispensary is completed and new stock taking system in place with daily recording of usage and balance sheets – this is welcome system as this should reduce the massive expiry drugs issue.
Staff have made good progress in terms of getting some basic infection control systems in place, and getting the incinerator working again. Schola is also planning at introducing internal CME sessions for the medical staff. She is identifying priority equipment that we can purchase for the clinic and is working closely with Moses in Lira in terms of support and advice.
The main issue was staffing as is the case with most of the district institutions – they move, or are transferred on short notice and it takes months to officially replace the staff, other staff go on workshops funded by organisations and leave the clinic unmanned (as they get money to attend the courses and don’t for attending to work!). The staff have been working closely with the local representatives in addressing this. They have also identified a number of volunteers to hold positions temporarily. They will be introducing the bonus scheme shortly – which will reward staff for delivering on basic performance indicators (attendance, complying with new systems, customer care etc). This will have its problems initially but hopefully it will prove a good motivator to encourage participation in developing the existing services and bringing a sense of ownership back to the clinic.
When I visited the clinic some weeks ago there was a genuine appreciation for the Suubi Trust involvement by staff and local representatives, especially in terms of the drugs and backup – there are huge health needs in this region and every little bit is a step in the right direction in bridging the gap in health service delivery.
