Hi <<First Name>>!
Australia seems to be having its own version of a wet season so it's hard to believe summer has arrived and Christmas is almost upon us. Season's greetings from all of us at Maranatha Health!
With a nod to the US Thanksgiving holiday, we are thankful that the MH medical and community teams in Uganda have been able to continue their vital work amidst so many national challenges, including the recent Ebola outbreak that has now ended!
This Update highlights some of MH Uganda's work, and we're delighted to introduce the newest MH staff members getting involved. Our community health team continues educating and supporting families involved in our village health programs, and patients continue getting the quality care they deserve! Below you'll see examples of their important and effective work.
We'd welcome you sharing this Update with others who might be interested in MH's endeavours. In this issue, we're also thrilled to show you some essential out-of-budget purchases facilitated by generous MH donors in October!
The Maranatha Health team is blessed and grateful to have your support and we wish you all a safe and happy festive season!
In this Update:
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Give to Kamwenge this Christmas
In 2011, Maranatha Health began its operations in Kamwenge district, an incredibly under-serviced region of Uganda.
The community embraced us and became a part of the MH story.
Two years later, circumstances required us to move to a neighbouring district, where we are now.
This Christmas we are giving once again
to the place where it all started.
We are partnering with a new health clinic being established in Kamwenge. This is an opportunity for MH to do our core work of EMPOWERING - building the capacity of the broader Ugandan healthcare system by offering equipment, training and staff time.
We want to get this clinic off to a great start to ensure
more families have access to quality health care.
Our aim is to raise $20,000 by January.
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Community Health Program Update
- A latrine for every family! -
At the beginning of each Community Health program, few households have latrines of their own. Many share neighbours’ latrines or use the bush. Often, latrines are not well built. Too weak to survive the wet seasons, they eventually break down with heavy rains and strong winds. Homes then have exposed sewage, giving families an increased risk of infections.This is particularly a problem for tenants with "many (landlords) being negligent or too lazy to construct a latrine".
Baingama* was in such a situation - she'd been sharing a latrine with her neighbour but he was unhappy about this and complained often. Health Leaders taught Baingama the benefits of having her own toilet, including the health benefits and it being less costly and more accessible to all her family members. "She was very reluctant ... saying she is a woman and can’t afford to construct one." Five months later and with support from her health leader, she finally constructed one. "When we asked Baingama how she feels having a latrine, she simply answered, “I am happy now I have my own latrine, I and my family members no longer go to other people’s latrines. It was stressing us but now we are free."
*names changed for privacy
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Medical Program Update
- Sickle Cell Disease -
"My hope has been restored!"
Namataka*, a four-year-old girl from Kiryantama village in Bunyangabu district was severely ill when she arrived at the MH clinic. Her mother, Kusmemererwa*, told us they'd gone to village clinics for treatment but her daughter’s health just deteriorated. She had pain in her arms, legs and abdomen; yellow eyes, had lost energy and appeared anaemic. The village clinics treated Namataka for malaria but her health didn't improve. Her mother's close friends advised her to seek traditional help for Namataka, but all options failed until Kusmemererwa decided to seek medical help from Maranatha.
Namataka was admitted to MH, where clinicians ran laboratory tests, gave Namataka fluids to reduce her dehydration and later, a successful blood transfusion; while they continued to analyse the root cause of her anaemia. The team suspected sickle cell anaemia and tested Namataka who returned a positive result.
When Kusmemererwa was told about her daughter's sickle cell results, she was shocked and worried. “I am not aware of this disease, where did my child get it from, could it be from the herbs I gave her? Can sickle cell be treated?”
Kusmemererwa was educated about sickle cell disease and how it is passed from both parents. She learned how to manage a child with sickle cells, especially feeding her a balanced diet and seeking medical treatment earlier when she gets sick.
“I now know what has been disturbing my child, I almost lost her from the village but now she has greatly improved and I have learnt how to manage her sickness, I will always rush her to MH whenever she is sick, thank you for counselling me because I was much worried”.
Namataka was discharged, her family very grateful for life-saving treatment and the quality of service offered by MH.
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Staff Update
We warmly welcome four new staff members
to the Maranatha family!
Maranatha Health Uganda writes:
"At Maranatha Health we are excited to receive our new family members. They are all young, energetic and each one of them carries unique character and skills which we admire from them. Their addition will help us to continue to provide our unique, high quality services and we remain focused to supporting them in their new roles and to learn from them. They include:
- Mr Johnson Mumbere - Community Development Program Manager
- Madam Uwera Doreen - Community Development Officer
- Mr Yoson Bwambale - Community Development Officer
- Mr. Kasangaki Deo - Nurse
We congratulate them and welcome them to the family."
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Vale Saturday Gadson
Our Hearts are broken as we mourn our colleague Saturday Gadson, Lab Technician, who passed away of Acute Kidney Failure on 1st December 2022 from Mulago Hospital. Gadson worked with Maranatha Health for over 10 years. He had just returned from school and finished his wedding this August. Gadson will be remembered for his commitment to service, Christian values and his social abilities. MHSRIP. - MH Uganda
We share this sad news with heavy hearts. Gadson was an integral part of the MH lab team since our early days in Kamwenge. We will miss his kind and gentle soul, his warm smile, and infectious laugh. Our thoughts are with his family at this time. - Kim Findlay
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Thank you for helping us!
In October we appealed for your help when MH was in great need of new equipment to support our medical and community work. A new vehicle, oxygen concentrator, patient monitor, pulse oximeters, and a patient outdoor shelter for rainy days, were outside our budget but urgently needed to enable MH to continue providing high quality care for patients.
Thanks to the Dreamin Foundation's generous A$20,000 donation, and another A$10,000 from our wonderful supporters, MH achieved its target of A$30,000, enabling us to afford both the essential
medical equipment and a suitable vehicle!
We are so grateful to those of you who made these out-of-budget essential purchases possible. If you would like to contribute towards similar future expenses we may encounter, please visit Give Now and when donating, tick the box marked 'Leave a message for the organisation' and write 'EQUIPMENT'. If you'd like to have a confidential chat about a specific donation, feel free to contact Kim via kim.findlay@maranathahealth.org!
Thank you all for your ongoing support.
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WEBSITE SUPPORT
Maranatha Health needs an experienced volunteer to assist with website maintenance & content updates (provided).
If this sounds like you, or someone you know, please share this & email: contact@maranathahealth.org
More details & position description:
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Maranatha Health in action:
Pathology | Patient care | Clinic counselling services
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MaranathaPARTNERS
We know that there are no quick-solutions to poverty or broken health systems.
We are committed to our communities for the long-haul,
to see children thriving and able to access life-saving care.
To do this, we need your help.
MaranathaPARTNERS are monthly givers, and they are crucial
for ensuring the long term sustainability of our work in Uganda.
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Find out more at our website here, or
click the button below to set up a regular tax-deductible donation:
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