Mission Rwentobo are pleased to announce that we are now fully registered as a charity with the purpose of providing financial support to Hope Community Clinic in Rwentobo, SW Uganda. To recap, we aim to cover the cost of staff salaries, equipment and maintenance of the facility and to facilitate the promotion of the health insurance scheme. This enables people living on very low incomes to access good quality healthcare, which was not previously available to them. Services include health promotion, family planning, ante and post-natal care, childhood immunisations, minor injuries and assessment for acute disease such as malaria and typhoid, including onsite lab tests. Treatment is provided by appropriately trained clinical staff, using the onsite dispensary for medicines.
Charles Tumwijukeye has settled in extremely well as the Clinical Officer in charge of the clinic and he is well respected by the community. Under his leadership, numbers of patients attending have increased and he has recently compiled data which includes the following:
- Monthly attendance has more than doubled in the last 12mths from 244 in March 2021 to 581 on Feb 2022. (The low numbers in March 2021 are partly explained by lockdown restrictions due to Covid 19). The largest number of people attending were adults and children outpatients for acute illnesses.
- Malaria surge: between March 2021 and October 2021, 7 to 14 people were treated each month for malaria but this surged to 79 in January 2022 with some, mainly children, requiring admission. Charles explained that this surge was mainly as a result of national health promotion messages focusing on reducing Covid 19 but paying less attention to other diseases such as malaria and HIV which have increased. He explains that research in January 2022 showed only 3/10 families using mosquito nets and only 1/3 of those using them correctly. Funds will be needed for a campaign to increase awareness of this issue.
- Childhood immunisations: numbers have increased from 102 in March 2021 to 179 in Feb 2022 and continue to increase since then.
Charles spoke of his appreciation for the small but strong team who work well together to provide 24/7 care at the clinic. Working alongside Charles, the team consists of 1 lab assistant, 1 enrolled comprehensive nurse, I enrolled midwife, 1 enrolled nurse, 1 nursing assistant, 1 cleaner and 1 caretaker and guard. They all consistently go the extra mile to ensure good care to the community, working far more hours than their low wages cover.
URGENT: There is an immediate need for funds to cover salaries for the next few months. If anyone feels able to send a donation, please contact Mick Burke (Mission Rwentobo Treasurer) at admin@missionrwentobo.org. We will then send you an online form for single or regular donations to support this vital work. Mission Rwentobo is registered with CAF Bank to claim gift aid for those who pay tax and would like to add this to their donations.
Fund-raising Quiz Night
Date: Saturday 25th June
Time: 7.30pm to 10.30pm
Venue: Thomas Delarue Hall, Shipbourne Road, TN11 9NN
Please join us in teams of 6 to 8 people, suggested contribution £15 per team.Please register your team by Saturday 18th June via admin@missionrwentobo.org. The interval will include an auction of cakes and desserts, live music from Oatfields and an update on Hope Community Clinic in Rwentobo, Uganda.
Please bring your own snacks and drinks, alcohol is permitted.
Prayer needs
- Meetings for the 3 year review will be held via zoom on 6th May so that Gordon Miller and Connie Burgess, as Mission Rwentobo trustees, can attend along with representatives from Kisiizi Hospital, Hope Community Clinic and World Shine representatives. Please pray for wise decisions to be made regarding future plans for the clinic.
- Please give thanks for the increase in uptake of clinic services as the community recognise the benefits of having access to better health support, including lives being saved, especially children suffering with malaria
- Please pray that God will continue to sustain the small clinic team as they strive to provide the best of care in challenging circumstances.
- Please pray that the urgent needs for funds to cover salaries for the next 3 months, will be met.
Many thanks from Mission Rwentobo, but more so from the community of Rwentobo and beyond for whom the clinic has indeed brought HOPE.