Fukui Uganda Friendship

FUKUI – UGANDA FRIENDSHIP

ASSOCIATION (FUGA)

P.O. BOX 28116

KAMPALA

PROGRESS REPORT

APRIL, MAY&JUNE 2003

Reporting Date: 10th July 2003.

Over view

FUGA-UGANDA continues to contribute to community development efforts in Ruhaama

Sub county, Ntungamo District. The organisation has been active in social delivery especially in the field of health care and education support in the said Sub County. The organisation’s service delivery was strengthened and more popularized with the establishment of FUGA Medical Health Care Centre in April 2001.Below is the caption of the progress in the months of April-May and June 2003.

Health Care Services

2.1 Clinical services

Unlike the previous months, April, May and June attracted relatively bigger number of patients to FUGA Medical Health Care Centre. The two months registered a turn up of 331 patients at the Health Care Centre as follows:

Number of out patients 308

Number of admissions 20

Number of referrals 2

Number of deaths 1

TOTAL 331

2.2 Conditions commonly attended to (presented)

Condition (Disease) Number of Patients

Malaria 216

Respiratory tract infections 42

Sexually Transmitted Diseases(STDs) 25

Eye infection 18

Pneumonia 21

PUDS 13

Dysentery 07

Diarrhea 12

Measles 11

As usual, Malaria remains the commonest disease followed by RTIs.

2.3 Sessions with Traditional birth Attendants(TBAs)

FUGA recognizes the noble job done by TBAs to assist pregnant mothers deep in the villages. The TBAs however at times lack enough skills and supplies. FUGA Medical Staff has been having talk sessions with them to improve on their skills. Where possible, FUGA has provided some TBAs with some essential supplies like gloves.

3.0 Community Health Education

Unlike the sensitization/Health Education meetings with Community members which were done in February and March, this time, FUGA showed Video Films to the people in Ruhama, Kafunjo and Murambi Parishes.(Accompanied with Photos), The video shows were focus on HIV/AIDS and Malaria prevention. The community members some of whom had never ”seen a screen” hailed the initiative especially the crucial topic of AIDS. One member was quoted saying. “FUGA has come to save our souls”. Another one said “ People here have been dying because of ignorance”. This activity was done with the assistance of the District Health Educator who provided the video deck and screen plus a power generator. I’m please to report that FUGA cordially collaborates with the District Health Department especially the Health Education Office.

4.0 Education and Support

FUGA provides / contributes to education Support for needy children. This support is always in form of school fees, scholastic materials uniforms at times classrooms construction assistance. The second term opened on 4th June 2003 and I’m glad to say that FUGA donated a Typewriter and Scholastic Materials with the help from FUGA-Japan.

School staff, Parents and Pupils are so grateful for the assistance from Japan through FUGA Uganda (Find attached Photos and letters of appreciation).

5.0 Challenges

Although the above has been achieved in the last three months, there were also some challenges encountered that can deserve a mention.

In the first instance, We have not been able to recruit a clinical officer, as reported earlier, we have been having a problem of high personnel turnover in the Health Care Centre. This is largely attributed to the remoteness of the place.

Secondly, perhaps due to high personnel turnover and poverty, there has been low patient turn up in the previous months. Although I’m glad that the last three months have registered a very significant and promising patient turn up.

Thirdly, Inadequate funding is also hindering our services delivery plans and wishes. A lot of health problems like HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Illiteracy etc exist but we are not yet able to help out to significant level.

6.0 Remedies to the Problems

In the absence of clinical officer, we have been able to recruit an enrolled male nurse who is surely doing quite a good job. However, the search for a clinical Officer still continues.

For low turn up of patients attributed to poverty, we have further reduced the drugs/services prices to increase affordability and accessibility. This reduction and recruitment of an enrolled nurse have led to the earlier mentioned increment in patient turn up.

For inadequate funding, we are writing proposals to different agencies one proposal Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV/AIDS will be submitted to Aids Integrated district Mode program (AIM UGANDA) on Monday 16th June 2003.

We also hope to continue networking and mobilizing the community members (including leaders) and the local Governments to allocate resources to improve their health conditions.

Future Plans

1- A continued search for a clinical Officer to work at FUGA Medical Health Care Centre.

2- Health Education –HIV/AIDS prevention by use of video shows will be done in the neighboring Rukoni Sub County.

3- Provide Teaching aids (learning teaching materials) to teachers of Primary schools in the Sub County. These will include charts, textbooks and maps.

4- Provide the usual financial / material support to about 40 pupils in Nyakika primary school.

5- Continue writing proposals and mobilizing the community to raise resources for community Health and Education programs

REQUEST

We humbly request FUGA Japan to facilitate us with a video deck, screen and generator for our HIV/AIDS and community sensitization programs.

CONCULSION

In spite of the few challenges noted above, I largely contend that FUGA Uganda is doing well. Even the community appreciates these endeavors On behalf of FUGA UGANDA I would like to specially extend our gratitude to FUGA Japan for the assistance sent to us always. This has enabled us to equip the Health Centre with Drugs, Pay allowances to the employees and facilitate the Health Education Programs, without forgetting Education for children at Nyakika Primary School.

We are also grateful for the cordial collaboration support from the District Health Educator and collaboration community.

With such continued support and cooperation and the usual commitment of FUGA Staff, we shall go along way in improving health and education status of our beneficiary communities.

Sincerely,

SILVER KASIGEIRE

ADMINISTRATOR

c.c. Chairman Board of Directors

c.c. Chief Administrative Officer Ntungamo District

c.c. District Directorate of Health services, Ntungamo District