Global Health Rotation in Uganda 2018
Theresa Ermer
Theresa Ermer is a German medical student from FAU. This May she spent a month at ACCESS in Nakaseke, Uganda as part of her clinical electives.
“ACCESS in Uganda does not only provide health care but promotes community development through a broad spectrum of projects.
Drs. James, Richard and Alex guided me and three American students through this very diverse rotation. At Nakaseke District Hospital, we saw patients in the ART (antiretroviral therapy) and NCD (non-communicable diseases) clinic, and assisted with deliveries on the labor ward and in the operating theater. On the wards we encountered and discussed many conditions that are much less common in Germany, such as malaria, HIV, cryptococcal meningitis, hepatitis, sickle cell disease and malnutrition. During a training on viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola, I even got to try on an Ebola protection suit. 
Dr. James is the heart and soul of the Lifecare clinic at ACCESS. Through his extreme kindness and dedication towards his patients he really has become a role model for me. Through ACCESS we also got in contact with the village communities: we visited families whose children receive guidance and school materials through the OVC (orphans and vulnerable children) program, participated in a family planning outreach, helped to teach children in the preschool, and got to know the “Dream girls” – a group of HIV-negative girls in the villages who act as multiplicators in their communities. It was wonderful that we had had some lessons in the local language Luganda – even just saying a few words in my rudimentary Luganda really helped me connect with the people so much easier.
One of the most interesting parts of my time in Nakaseke, was being involved with teaching and training patients and community health workers in the context of a research project on NCDs funded by Else Kroener-Fresenius Stiftung. It was eye-opening to be faced with the concepts of disease inhabitants of rural Uganda have developed and it was sometimes challenging for me to find comprehensible answers to their questions. 
After this global health rotation in Uganda, I really understand the importance of epidemiological research on NCDs in developing countries as a basis to design treatment concepts adapted to the needs of the population.
I cannot thank the program and the people at ACCESS enough for all their kindness and dedication to the communities they serve and also to us visiting students. My time in Uganda did not only make a professional, but also a very personal impression on me. Weebale nnyo! – Thank you so much for teaching me and for opening up your hearts to let me be a part of the ACCESS family!”
Barcelo Community Pharmacy at ACCESS
INTRODUCTION
ACCESS UGANDA is a community based organisation though often working with government facilities. The management came to realize the needs of the people of Nakaseke District and amongst the list was the need for medical treatment including drug supply. BARCELO FOUNDATION, an organization based in Spain, decided to give a hand and facilitated us with sponsoring a Community Based Pharmacy which provide
s access to drugs that are otherwise difficult to stock to the community.
The Pharmacy officially opened in October 2015 and it has so far been running for more than ten months. Every month, we receive and treat over one hundred clients on the outpatient basis who receive the services the pharmacy provides. The drugs are provided at very low cost to enable the community access to the most needed medicines which would have otherwise not been available within the community.
SERVICES OFFERED
The pharmacy is under the close supervision of the general clinic, though it can or seems like an entity on its own. It offers both whole and retail sale of drugs, health education to the community members as well as the clients that visit the clinic. In conjunction with the family planning clinic it has an outreach program. In the outreach package, the Pharmacy helps in the facilitating health education about contraceptive options.
BENEFICIARIES
Our community members can now get their required amount of drugs at affordable costs. Previously a patient or the attendant would travel to Kampala to acquire drugs prescribed, but now Barcelo Community Pharmacy is availing almost all drugs in all their kinds to the community members.
The Health Education talks sponsored by the Pharmacy are creating an impact to those that attend. These talks are general and are directed towards changing behaviour to improve the standards of living and health, education, social welfare and finance are the basic priorities. We would like to start on home visiting embarked with home care nursing to fully embrace ACCESS COMMUNITY COMPONENT, and this will need all our different programs, such as: support for orphans and vulnerable children, family planning outreach, and our Jaaja (elders) Project to sponsor and support this program.
APPRECIATION
On behalf of the Government of Uganda, community of Nakaseke, ACCESS-UGANDA, and on my own behalf, I take the honour to thank particularly FUNDACION BARCELO and Partners for ACCESS, and ACCESS-UGANDA under Dr Robert Kalyesubula, for the great enthusiastic work, love, care, mercy and grace they have for the community of Nakaseke, and Uganda as whole. I have no better heartfelt words to express how grateful we are but only to say thank, thank you so much. Amelia Fornes, Supervisor of African Region under FUNDACION BARCELO project FARMASOL, muchas gracias, te amos muchisimo, thank you again.
Compiled by;
MASEREKA ASINGYA
In-charge of Barcelo Pharmacy ,
Life Care Clinic
ACCESS UGANDA-NAKASEKE
Jaja Club in Nakaseke
Through their involvement in the community, Gabriel and Aida realized a lack of support for the elders living in Nakaseke. Many elderly people (jaja in Luganda) were living in poverty, social isolation and suffering from untreated health conditions. They found elders who were sleeping on the floor, some who had been neglected by their families, others who were widowed, and disabled. They recognized that many of the issue facing the jajas could be solved by interaction and support from one another.
Gabriel and Aida sprang into action to organize a gathering of Jajas at ACCESS. They used the ACCESS bus to collect individuals from all over Nakaseke, and brought them to ACCESS to share a meal, receive medical consultation and examination, and identify needs that ACCESS could address in their home settings.
The jaja were overjoyed to spend time with one another and be heard by those at ACCESS.
Today, Aida and Gabriel continue to work with the jaja through home visits, and support for basic needs (food, clothing, bedding, etc.) They are looking for more ways to support the jaja, and plan to bring them together at ACCESS again in the future to foster relationships and wellbeing among Nakaseke’s most vulnerable seniors.
Fundraiser in Nakaseke Raises $2000
In May, 2012, ACCESS invited the Nakaseke Community to come and support the new nursing school. People came in big numbers! 150-200 people came and celebrated with us, and showed their support by raising $2,000!
The day was filled with students, patients and staff sharing stories of ACCESS impact on their own lives and on the Nakseke Community.
Students, staff, volunteers, and neighbors brought gifts to contribute to the auction.
We were honored with the attendance of local government leaders, and visiting leaders from Kampala.
The students worked so hard to put on this event. Thanks to SAWA World for the video summary of the event.
Click here to view the video: ACCESS Fundraiser in Nakaseke Raises $2000
Help Train a New Generation of Nurses
The Problem:
Rural communities in Uganda are lacking access to health care due to a shortage of doctors and nurses.
Young men and women living in rural communities lack access to higher education.
The Solution:
ACCESS is building a Comprehensive Nursing School in Nakaseke, Uganda to help provide education and job opportunities in the rural healthcare system. This 3-year program will build a secure future for young people living in a rural area and provide crucial access to healthcare for the entire community.
Through the generous support of our partners and donors we have built a brand new classroom block, shipped a boxcar of medical and educational material, established our library and skills lab, and secured our compound with a perimeter fence. We are on our way to opening the doors of The Health Training Institute!
But we need your help. 95% of every dollar you give will go directly towards upgrading our existing community nurses’ aide program into a 3-year Accredited Nursing School.
Our nurses will make approximately $200/month. This money will send their siblings to school, provide for their families, and bring healthcare to the community. Even a small donation has the potential to transform the community!
We Are Close!
In November, our team in Boston raised $16,000! That means we are well on our way to building the 3-year nursing program by March, 2013.
But we need your help!