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A Medical Camp that Delivered a Miracle Baby!

If you thought that miracles were performed by only Jesus then sit, relax, put on your glasses and reach this Journey to Kamuli in Uganda where a "Miracle baby" was delivered!

Over the past seven years, the Lions Club of Kampala Central has carried out Medical and Surgical camps in the rural areas of Uganda to bring medication to the rural folks who cannot afford the cost of treating some of the ailments that they suffer. Our camps are usually organised at rural health centres and where we are lucky to have an operating theatre different surgical cases are done.

This year could not be any different and our plans were focused on Eastern Uganda in the rural District of Kamuli at Namwedwa health centre IV. Having done the funds mobilisation during the october 2013 "Run for Sight" marathon at the February 2014 fundraising dinner, we procured medicine from the Ministry of Health and Sanitary towels from the open market and set out on a mission to treat as many people as we could on the Camp day.

Announcing the Lions Presence in the area

Our Journey started on February 22, 2014 where a team of Lions, Leos and Medical Personnel assembled and boarded two buses to Kamuli. It is usually an interesting journey but this time it was much more interesting as we expected to cross a ferry on the Mighty River Nile. The excitement was because most people were using the ferry for the first time. 

Indeed at the banks of River Nile the excitement was high and many could not hide it as they took pictures in poses of yesteryears...

Lion Mercy aboard a Ferry to cross the Mighty River Nile

More fun was to come as after crossing the river one lucky trader got celebrated as all the pineapples he carried on his bicycle were bought and 'cleared' by the Lions on the two buses.

Leos Joan Nansubuga and Nora Olive enjoying the Pineaple Bonanza!

And yes! We also had some Lions and Leos who got scared on the ferry and they had to use life jackets for the slightly over 200 metres crossing

Lions JB Ntangaare and Steven Mukawa wearing life jackets on the ferry

It has always been part of our medical camps that we distribute sanitary towels to girls in rural secondary schools especially those in areas where we carry out our medical camps. And this camp was no exception as these towels were distributed to girls at Bagiire memorial Secondary school and Namwendwa Secondary school. Over five hundred girls benefited from our excercise and they received towels to last them at least a school term. This is our contribution to keeping te girl child in school as girls especially in rural areas do not have the necessary resources to access such sanitary towels and some time they are forced to keep away from school when they are in their menstrual periods. This problem also accounts for the biggest number of girl child school drop-out especially in rural areas.

Lion Florence Tinkumanya talking to the students of Bagiire Memorial school about the importance of proper sanitation. Girls were later seperated from boys and given sanitary towels.

As two teams distributed sanitary to these two different schools, the Club President and a host of other senior Leaders engaged in a radio talk show to highlight the Lions activities throughout the country and the world at large and in particular Kampala central's activities. A background to the Medical Camps was given and highlights of what the following day's medical camp at namwendwa health centre IV were also availed to the listenership of Kamuli Broadcasting Service FM.

Club President Lion Eng. Dans Naturinda and Lion JB. Ntangaare in the Studios of Kamuli Broadcasting Services FM

We concluded our first day and retired to our Host's home for a night until the day of the main camp.

THE CAMP DAY

The second and main day of the camp is usually hectic because of the numbers and activities involved. We arrived at Namwendwa health centre very early in the morning and as in other camps, there were patients who got there before us. We quickly set up our teams in different locations and registration of patients started. Each of the Lions, Leos and our guests quickly reported to their duty station as had been assigned. As had been anticipated, the crowds increased every passing minute and we found ourselves with long lines as has always been in other camps. It is sometimes difficult for us to keep these patients in lines yet it is the only option we have because of the numbers. But we always have Lions and other counselors who come in to counsel these patients as they wait for their turn to see a doctor.

Part of the crowds as they waited for treatment

Registration of patients in Progress

The old adage goes that "experience is the best teacher". Having had challenges in the dispensing of medicine at previous medical camps, and thanks to the fantastic organisational skills of Lion John Bosco Ntangaare, we instead of a centralized dispensary decided to decentralize the dispensing to different treatment centres. This helped us to control the crowds and manage the lines at the dispensing points 

Lions, Pharmacists and Nurses in one of the Dispensing rooms

Efficient as we were, there crowds of patients still remained a challenge as minute by minute people kept flocking in to access our free treatment services. It was so much  that one doctor in the children's section who was attending our Medical camp outreach for the first time was overheard commenting that "if this is how all the camps have been in terms of numbers, then Lions should actually be recognised as heroes at the next national awards ceremony".

Dr. Gloria attending to some of the children

Also joining us in the Medical Camp outreach for the first time were health workers from Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services in Uganda (CORSU). Having sought for a partnership with our Club, they came along to identify vulnerable children in need of surgeries especially of Club foot, Cleft lips and other surgical cases. These children will be operated and treated free of charge and the officials at CORSU have pledged that each child identified and brought to their centre at Kisubi in entebee, will be treated for free.

The CORSU representative screening children to be brought to CORSU hospital for surgery.

Over thirty children with different surgical needs were identified and together with CorSu, these will be brought to the hospital for operation and treatment.

Also in partnership were STAR-EC and UHMG who were in attendance to do HIV testing and Counseling services and Male circumcision respectively. Over five hundred people were screened and tested for HIV and over seventy males had safe circumcision.

Male circumcision in Progress

You think you have read it all??? Adjust your glasses and read about the 'Miracle Baby'!!

As the camp snaked into the evening hours, something un usual happened. While the doctors in the theaters were about to admit their last registered patient for operation, Lion Florence brought to their attention a woman she found in one of the wards of the Health centre. She had been in labour for some hours and the nurses at the health centre had referred her to the far distant District hospital since they had no capacity to handle her case (deliver her by sciscerean section). 

Lion Florence found the lady crying and begging for help

It is at this point that one of our medical personnel (who has since become a Lion after that experience) Dr. Kisekka Rockie, demanded that she be brought to the theatre. In just over half an hour, the woman was operated and a bouncing baby boy was delivered. For this miracle the baby was named after the Club President and the Doctor who did the operation.

 

While commenting on this incident, the Lion President Engineer Dans Naturinda had this to say, "We have heard of numerous cases of women dying in labour in rural areas and i am sure that if it was not because of the Lions presence here today, this woman would have added to the statistics. Lions do miracles and i have no doubt that this is one of those miracles that we will always remember". 

The woman being attended to in the Theatre after she delivered the 'miracle baby'

As always, the evenings of the main day of the camp are always tiresome. Everybody is tired including the medical team and all the participants but there is always a consolation - The fellowship that follows the camp. As we wind up and clean up, we are always looking forward to them moment where we also get to 'serve ourselves'! And the fellowship at our hosts, The Bagiire family was not a disappointment. Trust that Lions can devour meat like they're in the world and of course a bottle of favourite beer or soda is a good one to wash down the nice meat.

Fellowship at Lion Robina Bagiire's home

And the camp is not complete without a dance where we dance to the tunes in celebration of our service to those who need it most. We retired to our beds in satisfaction of our completed mission and as we left Kamuli the following morning, we were sure that we had performed miracles especially the fact that a miracle baby had been delivered.

Special thanks to the Bagiire family for the wonderful hospitality and samptuous fellowship.

Thank you, Thank you all for making it happen.

Statistics:

Total number of patients treated:  2804

Medical and Surgical cases:        2114

Cataract Operations:                   36

Other Surgeries:                          45

Dental patients:                           111

Children and Gynecological cases: 498

HIV testing and counselling:           591

Safe Male circumcision:                 73

Tuberclosis cases:                         7

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WHEN THE GOVERNOR VISITED!

Friday, October 25, 2013, was the day the Lions Club of Kampala Central welcomed the District Governor, Lion Wilson Ndesanjo. This was his official visit to the Club and the day was marked with a number of activities which the Governor actively participated in.

 

The Governor being welcomed by dancers at the Lions leisure park at Makerere University.

 

The day's activities started with tree planting at The Lions leisure park where the Governor was joined by the region chairpersons, the Club President and the Membership Director in planting trees.

  

Districk Governor, Lion Wilson Ndesanjo, planting a tree at the Lions Leisure park at Makerere

Region Chairman, Lion Geofrey Mwesigwa after planting a tree at the Lions Leisure Park.

After planting trees at Makerere, the procession headed to Bulyankuyege, the site of the proposed Lions Centre where more trees were planted before the special board meeting.

At the board meeting, the Club President highlighted the activities of the Club and the proposed plans for the remainder of the Lionistic year. The Governor in his address to the club commended the activities being done especially the Literacy, and sight first programmes. He also commended the club's membership growth and retention.

At the same board meeting, seven new members were inducted into the Rukungiri branch of the Lions Club of Kampala central. The governor commended this initiative and encouraged the club to work towards the formation of a fully-fledged club.

The formalities were followed by a fellowship which included a BBQ and drinks to mark a successful governor's visit. 

The Club was later joined by other Kampala clubs and hosted the Governor to a dinner at Grand Imperial hotel where more Seven new members were inducted into the Lions Club of Kampala central. 

We welcome all our new members who have joined the Kampala Central den of service and we thank the Governor for taking his time to visit our club and see what we do. 

Our appreciation to all thise who took part in the preparations of all the actitivies and all those who spared time to attend one or all the functions.

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