Challenge:

Medicine and Healthcare

Destination:

*Uganda

Departure Dates From:

24/05/2008

Madventurer Medic work placements are based at a series of locations throughout Jinja district. The programme that you will put together to structure your time in Uganda will depend upon your personal preferences as well your level of medical experience and training.

Venturers role Medics of 3rd year and above can work at the district hospital and children's hospial in the centre of Jinga. Dependent upon the extent of your experience and learning you will be a very active participant in the work that is carried out at the hospital, assisting with births, operations, check-ups, diagnosis and treatment.

The district hospital covers a fairly large plot of land with various large, open green spaces outside where hundreds of outpatients will come on a daily basis seeking treatment and medical advice. There are many departments and wards.include surgery; paediatrics; obstetrics and gyaenecology; dentistry; anaesthesia; radiology; clinical laboratory; orthopaedic surgery; ophthalmology; psychiatry; pathology; rehabilitation and community health.

Due to the limited bed spaces in the hospital only a small handful of these can in reality be admitted, and even then it is dependent upon their being able to find the appropriate funds to pay for their care. The Children's Hospital provides medical care but the food, clothes and sheets for the wrought iron beds have to be brought in by the families of patients. The staff at this hospital are fantastic, incredibly warm and friendly.

Medics and students under 3rd year will not be able to work in the district hospital, which is non-negotiable, but can help in any of the smaller centres. You can expect to be participating in ward rounds, routine check ups and assisting with maternity patients. There are two smaller health centres located just out of central Jinja accessible using public transport each day.

Combined they offer a number of services to their patients including orthopedics, X-rays, dental care, child planning and inoculations. These rural clinics work with people from the rural communities that cannot access or afford the main hospital in Jinja town. Work is divided into two departments: curative and preventive.

The first of these assesses and examines, and then treats patients who come to the clinic and prevantative care deals with issues such as school health inspections, home improvement campaigns, safe water and sanitation, immunisation and latrine coverage. The outreach work offered being particularly interesting and rewarding as it offers the chance to get right out into the heart of a community, right into deepest, darkest village.

The most common illnesses treated are malaria; HIV/AIDS; malnourishment; diarrhoea and illnesses as the result of poor hygiene and water contamination. You can also work at the Aids Support Organisation (TASO) that provides medical testing for HIV/AIDS, counseling, medical outreaches, and drama workshops intended as an educative tool to spread awareness of HIV/AIDS,and social relations. 

For this project 3rd year medical students that would like to work at the district hospital will have to send a letter from the head of their University department that confirms the level of their study and this will be shown to the Superintendent at Jinja hospital who will agree the placement.

Location Our Madvenurer medical projects are based in Jinja, southern Uganda, located by Lake Victoria on the source of the River Nile. Jinja is a spacious, relaxed town with a market, matatu [a large minibus that acts as a shuttle] park, internet cafes, post office, bars [for cold soft drinks or beers], cafes and small shops that will provide most essentials and a little bit more. Transport is provided by matatus and boda-bodas (bicycles or small motorcycles [pikipikis).

Jinja is about one and a half hours away from Kampala, Uganda's more bustling capital, which is home to a lively nightlife. The area surrounding Jinja is very green, with thick vegetation. itself is renowned for its birdlife and is home to many wild animals, perhaps most famously the gorilla, with half of the worlds population resident within the country.

It is possible to access some beautiful scenery in the surrounding areas, and for the more adventurous there is the opportunity to test yourself against the mighty White Nile whilst white water rafting, face the Nile High Bungee jump or go quad biking in nearby Bujigali. An hour and a half away is Kampala, the vibrant capital of Uganda.

There is a wealth of things to do in this attractive city, whether it's browsing around the famous Owino market; indulging in some western luxuries in the shopping centre, or relaxing around a pool in the hot sun. Kampala's bustling nightlife always promises a good night out.

Accommodation: Accommodation is provided in a shared house with a madventurer crew and other venturers who might be working in teaching, healthcare, netball or football coaching or carework. The projects are completed from Monday's to Fridays and there is the opportunity to travel at the weekends.

What's included: All meals, accommodation and transport is provided and our experienced crew arrange airport pick you up's , introduce the project and organise it's structure. They have responsibility to be on-hand for 24 hour support, assistance and to share their insider knowledge of Uganda!

Feedback: We love feedback from our venturers, this is what Laura Tucker (22) made of her medic placement in Uganda in April 2006:

'well organised and laid back, it worked very well for me. The best bit was visiting the local health center, i feel i have learnt a lot about medical practice and treatment whilst working with severe financial limitations in a developing country. My placement was extremely memorable and a incredible way of really getting stuck into a Ugandan community. Having weekends off to explore was an excellent relief from the hard work through the week'