AVSI humanitarian projects in health sector in Uganda
A photographic reportage tells how Northern Uganda has changed with AVSI. In this episode Susan, Pamela and Night accompany us to discover the projects for HIV+ people with Meeting Point, to enhance the action of a hospital and to assist pregnant women and their children.
Countries Uganda
Author Esther Ruth Mbabazi
Atim Susan, role model for her community in Kitgum, North Uganda
Through Meeting Point, an organization built on the foundations of friendship and support for people with HIV/AIDS, largely supported by AVSI, We got to meet Atim Susan, 54, a mother of 6 living in Kitgum.
A widow, she didn't have any support after losing her husband in 2005. At that time, Meeting Point was assisting widows affected by HIV. They trained her and taught her how to approach and counsel HIV patients in her community. Meeting Point offered her support under the OVC - Orphan Vulnerable Children program for two of her children to attend school.
She was also trained in kitchen gardening, and in training mothers in better nutrition practices for children. She was named a role model mother in her community.
Through Meeting Point, she joined a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) through which she saved money and bought her own land on which she built her home.
She also received some capital to start a small clothes selling business at the market, the incomes that she uses to pay her children's school fees and support her homestead.
Atim Susan, 54, mother of 6 living in Kitgum. She lost her husband in 2005, when she was 5 months pregnant. She didn't have any support, her late husband's family wasn't supporting her and she couldn't afford rent
Dr. Atim Pamela Okot, Medical Director at St. Joseph's Hospital, Kitgum
At St. Joseph's Hospital, Kitgum, about 112,000 people are served per year from Kitgum, the neighboring districts and the refugee settlements.
AVSI supported the hospital in forms of Infrastructure development, logistics, human resource development and finances. AVSI supported in construction of the administration block, private OPD, renovation of the surgical ward, extension of children's ward among others.
Dr. Atim Pamela Okot is the Medical Director at St. Joseph's Hospital, Kitgum. Her roles include clinical work, surgeries, follow up with clients, and supervising intern doctors in the OB GYN clinic at the hospital. As a manager, she contributes to grants proposals and looks for partnerships for the hospital.
I'm a gynecologist today because of AVSI's support.
The hospital also has a School of Nursing and Midwifery from which Akello Evaline, an enrolled Midwife graduated. The school helps the hospital to build its human resource.
The St. Joseph's Hospital in Kitgum is a private not-for-profit hospital under the Catholic Church started by the Comboni missionaries. AVSI has been supporting the hospital in form of Infrastructure development, logistics, human resource development, finances since 2002. AVSI supported in construction of the administration block, private Outpatient Department, renovation of surgical ward, extension of children's ward. The construction and rehabilitation of staff accommodations was also done by AVSI. AVSI also built human resource through exchange programs with Italian medical schools.
A safe place for newborns
We went to Loborom Health Center III, one of the health centers supported by AVSI. The facility used to have 2 births a month and now receives about 20 births a month. AVSI helped with extensions of the maternity ward and supported maternal child health services at the health facility.
Through AVSI's support, the health center does community outreaches and health dialogues encouraging mothers to come for services at the facility.
Night Anek, midwife at Loborom Health Center III, Kitgum District.
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24.11.2022 – Uganda
Health, education, job creation, food security: a promise of change with communities in Uganda