Tenth CRESS trip, visiting refugees
RUMPS Re-Usable Menstrual Pads Training
The CRESS clinic in Mijale is now running well and seeing many patients each day. Edward Mika a South Sudanese man heads the staff – he has a Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Community Health and has done courses in Immunization and Epidemiology so he is well qualified. Before working for CRESS he worked for Medicine Sans Frontiers and then as County Director of Health for Kajo Keji. CRESS is very fortunate to have Edward.
There are four other professional members of staff, two nurses Lulu Emmanuel and Bethy Yangi who with fifteen years of experience is also a midwife; and a Laboratory Technician Gerald who is just twenty-eight years old. Edward Mika has also engaged the services of Daniel Morris who works voluntarily on the accounts.
Jackie in the dispensary had to cease working and return to school to qualify. The clinic is seeking full registration so all staff must hold Ugandan qualifications. Jackie’s schooling is funded by CRESS sponsors
On her visit in January Caroline Lamb was able to meet Edward Mika and give him the practical support he needed to enable him to work efficiently. This included a motorcycle, water filter (to keep well) a laptop, phone, and funds to help him relocate his family from Kampala to Arua. He will also find a small home for himself in Mijale – meaning he will no longer need to sleep in one of the rooms at the clinic.
CRESS received over £3,000 from various friends of the late Damien Watson of St James Church who took part in charity fundraising. The kind and generous donation was used for the following improvements and equipment.
- Electrical improvements to the clinic
- A steriliser
- An examination bed
- A delivery bed
- Fifteen water filters for leaders living in camps
A recent visit of five dentists sent by a dental charity was very well received seeing over seventy patients and removing fifty teeth. This would have been a huge blessing to the local people. A recent donation from a group of young people means that some staff tukals can be constructed and a pit latrine improved
The hygiene Kit teaching programme will take place in March and will provide reusable sanitary pads for some 200 vulnerable women living in the refugee and IDP camps. It is hoped that this will be followed by general teaching on hygiene and nutrition. Funds are needed for these programmes
But for the present, the clinic is working well and providing much needed health care for South Sudanese Refugees who walk long distances to receive medical care. In addition, local Ugandans as Mijale is a remote place with almost no local health facilities
CRESS is extremely grateful to all those who have helped make this clinic what it is today and to the local management committee and to the staff. THANK YOU.
