Finishing touches to Yotkom medical centre

Synthetic fascia and guttering to avoid the rust problem

Smoothing off defects in the walk plaster ready for painting 

Wall tiles selected for wet areas 

Floor tiles in toilets 

Sinks in each room will encourage hygiene and hand washing 

Moving on at rapid speed

We are making very good progress. The building is full of busy bees working in plastering, plumbing, electrical and metalwork. 

Digging a deep hole to absorb lightning shocks  transmitted from conductors on the roof. There are a lot if electrical storms here on the equator 

It's a big task cooking for a bunch of hungry building contractors 

Providing employment to local businesses

The unemployment rate in northern Uganda is over 50%

Our medical construction has a spin off benefit to the local Kitgum community by providing employment to many local businesses.

Our windows and doors are being fabricated in a local workshop by an energetic team who are taking pride in their work 

Proud of our dedicated team saving lives

On our busy morning round of admitted patients we had to climb over people sleeping on the floors and carers with bowls of food prepared for the sick. The place is buzzing .
We examined a young child admitted the night before with severe life threatening malaria , convulsions and high fever and it struck me the difference these young clinical officers are making to children and families here. Without access to life saving intravenous medications offered in our medical centre , these little children would certainly die.
Later in the day , I asked Nancy, one of  the young medical officers here  what had motivated her to go through all the struggles necessary to study medicine . She told me she had been moved by what she had witnessed of sickness and suffering as she grew up in  rural Uganda and  decided  she wanted to be an instrument used by God to save lives
 . It was good to be able to encourage her and reflect  on the little children on our ward round this morning that she had diagnosed, treated and cured.
It is a real privilege to be here working alongside these dedicated compassionate people.
Thanks to all those in Australia who support our project. You are making a difference to so many people in need here through your generosity.

Laboratory technician taking blood sample for malaria testing 

Rendering of New Yotkom Medical clinic exterior walls 

Please consider helping us reach our target to complete the building project by giving a tax deductible donation.  This can de done by following the guide on the right hand side of this web page or go to:
donate.yotkom.com
We are striving to see the building open by October .

The building progresses

Rear of the building showing site for septic tank being dug 

Digging and constructing by hand a large septic tank

Sifting sand for impurities

Andrew with assistant project manager William, inspecting internal wall rendering 

Walls with plumbing and electrical conduits prior to rendering 

Mesh and concrete ceilings in hallway showing skylights

Malaria epidemic in Northern Uganda

Clinical officers Nancy, Peter and Richard 

The clinical officers working at Yotkom Bregma Medical Centre are being challenged by the number of cases of acute Malaria arising in the community. Many are seriously ill, especially the children. They require admission to our facility for intravenous medications.
The nearby Government hospital is overwhelmed with cases, housing over four hundred children in the small children's ward. There were five children who died of malaria last week.
Our team are dedicated to serving the community. We have some good clinical guidelines in place and charting of fluids and drugs is now part of the nursing routine for patients staying over in the wards.

We have developed a Clinical Guidelines manual to be used as a helpful reference for all the medical staff when treating common conditions . This ensures a consistent approach to treatment of diseases and is also a reflection of the latest international recommendations,

Yotkom is focussed on continuing education for our health workers and we encourage attendance at training seminars. Our chaplain Concy is going to be sponsored to attend a country wide pastors and counsellors conference in Kampala this month.

Building update

Inspecting medical clinic with project manager and electricians to locate power outlets and computer networks

Electricians chisel grooves for conduits into the brick walls. Later to be rendered

Guesthouse site is being fenced