As I am coming to the end of my Paramedic degree, I have been wanting to experience the healthcare system in another country to be able to see how it differs from home in the UK. I came across the opportunity to go to Uganda for 3 weeks at the end of August and it really sparked my interest, as a lower-income country than the UK it would be a great chance for me to help share my knowledge as well as gain knowledge from medical professionals over there.
I am completing the programme through a charity called Knowledge4Change and I will also be able to help give back to the local communities while I am there. The funding raised here would go such a long way in getting over there, I am trying to fund this myself while finishing my degree so fitting in time to work and earn the funds is tough. I think this would be such a valuable learning and life experience for myself going into future practice as a paramedic.
Throughout my time there, I will complete 37.5 hours a week of shifts at:
- Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital which provides comprehensive services (including maternity, paediatrics, medicine, surgery, rehabilitation, mental health and infectious diseases) to over 1 million people from the surrounding regions.
- Bukuuku, Kasusu, Kataraka and Kagote Health Centres which are smaller, rural, nursing and midwifery led health facilities and provide primarily basic maternity and outpatient services (including K4C’s cervical screening programme).
- Various community based organisations which provide social work support, mental and sexual health, women’s empowerment and community sensitisation and education services. We also work with organisations which provide rehabilitation for children with physical or mental disabilities.
- Primary schools which cater for children with physical or mental disabilities.
As well as the experience gained in terms of healthcare, it is also a once in a lifetime trip for life experience. In my time off from shifts I would be able to experience some of these wonderful things:
- Queen Elizabeth National Safari Park
- Relaxing and swimming in beautiful local crater lakes
- Hiking in the Rwenzori Mountains and to Mahoma Waterfall
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Experiencing local markets
I would be eternally grateful for any donations towards my funding of this trip.