Local professional said Ugandans

HAMILTON » Three staff members from Community Memorial Hospital began the New Year in a small village in the East African Republic of Uganda. This oneweek trip to the village of Jinja was a missionary-led effort offering medical assistance.

“This is not our first trip to the region. The hospital participated in this programlast year,” said Dr. Robert Delorme, vice president of Medical Affairs for Community Memorial. “I was approached by Rev. John and Christy Kamp from The Creative Word Ministries about a year and a half ago regarding Community Memorial’s interest in providing medical support for the villagers. I said as long as I don’t see any snakes, we would be happy to.”

The Dave Felton Endowment Fund through the Community Memorial Hospital Foundation provided financial assistance for some travel expenses. The Hamilton Staff included Delorme, Kim Gilbert, Waterville Family Health Center and Judy Azud, Administration. Gilbert and Azud performed triage duties, which included taking blood pressures, pulses, temperatures, weights, and heights, and pulse oximetry during their week-long mission.

The Creative Word Ministries provides children ages 1-10 years old from the village of Jinja with daily activities such as sports, crafts, bible study, and nutritous meals. Community Memorial Staff provided healthcare for the children and also for family members. The children received check-ups, immunizations and yearly de-worming medication. More than 650 individuals received care during the visit.

The medical effort led by local

physician, Dr. Moses Batwala helped the CMH staff navigate ordering needed medications and bartering with the store owner for the best prices on multi-vitamins and antibiotics. “The hospital has been extremely generous in their donation of medical supplies including gauze, bandages, and surgical materials to assist with the clinic,” added Delorme.

“This trip was in an effort to reach out and bless the beautiful, humble people of Uganda. We in turn were richly blessed by their unconditional love and acceptance of us,” said Gilbert.

The team members reported-mixed feelings when departing from the village because of the high probability that many patients would not seek follow-up treatment, since a stabi- lized continuity of care system does not exist this region. Efforts to build a local clinic staffed by surrounding Ugandan physicians along with an overseas two-week residency program for US medical students are ongoing.

“At this point the biggest hurdles are the local governments, the ability to raise the needed funds, and a commitment by the African medical community to staff the clinic,” said Delorme.

SUBMITTED PHOTO One of many local children from the Jinja village served by The Creative Word Ministries program.