Preparing for our opening ceremony

Our Yotkom team from Australia have now been in Kitgum for 14 days

The team is made up of

Dr Andrew Wright

Anne Wright

Pat Holdsworth

Maree Holdsworth

It has been a very busy time and also quite a challenge dealing with very hot conditions over 40C most days. Its difficult to sleep at night. Power has been off for 3 days and our solar is under powered because of afternoon storms.

From the first day we arrived we have been working on several fronts.

1. To make preparations for the opening ceremony on April 9^th.
   
   

   

   
   

Time spent visiting important community members and sending out invitations as well as agreeing on a program, establishing a planning committee (essential in an African setting !) and making sure we have some traditional Ugandan singing and dancing .

Our chaplain, Rev Concy has played an important part in the process , guiding us, leading mee tings and ensuring we develop good relationships with community leaders.

2. The second area of need is to identify structural areas needing attention in the Yotkom Medical Centre building. We are working with the builder, Andrew Kilama to see the contract expectations met and to do some extra work including tiling of consultation areas.
   

   
3. Sterilisation procedures in the Medical Centre are being reviewed by Anne Wright. She has done some research prior to travelling to Kitgum and intends to implement changes to improve our practice in this area. Our Ugandan health workers are very supportive.
   

   

                             
4. Trainee Clinical Officers from South Sudan have joined us for four weeks and we have developed a program of tutorials for them and assigned them to specific areas of the medical centre for observation and mentoring.     
   

   

    
5. CME lectures (Continuing Medical Education) have commenced with Andrew and Pat sharing the load. They will take place Monday Wednesday and Friday afternoons. 
   

   
6. Pat has been teaching at SEVO (Samaritan Emergency Volunteer Organisation). A class of 25 volunteers from local villages have received his expertise in first aide including fracture management and CPR. He had expected to teach again next week however they are taking a break for a couple of weeks.  
   

   

   
7. Maree is spending a lot of time at Yotkom Medical centre working alongside the administration staff and nurses. She so much enjoys building relationships and sharing knowledge and looking at ways we can improve our workplace. 
   

   
8. We are thankful to our Australian IT guru Graham Hambly , who was online with us for several hours to help with our network problems. 
9. Negotiation is under way to source a vehicle for Ambulance which could be based at the Yotkom Medical Centre. We are hopeful for a successful outcome.
10. Meanwhile at our guesthouse site the renovation of the house is nearing completion and we will start making plans for a duplex construction shortly. This will house one of our medical staff and family as well as provide a place to stay for visitors from overseas.
    

    

    

     

It is very encouraging to see our team of health workers bonded together as a family with a united purpose to deliver high quality compassionate care to this community. They already have a developed a reputation for excellence and kindness.

Yotkom Medical Centre. Birth Day. October 12. 2015

Photos of our birth day and first week of treating and admitting patients at Yotkom Medical Centre.
The realisation of a long term vision and. Culmination of years of Hard work and perseverance by a  dedicated team of. People here in Uganda and in Australia,
Many of us found it difficult to contain our excitement and joy !

I believe we have the best team of health professionals in Uganda 

With so much potential!

We are committed to our mission statement :

Improving access and excellence in Primary a Health care in Northern Uganda.

Building relationships, resources and self reliance.

Please partner with us.

Yotkom Medical Centre is an oasis of hope and healing in Northern Uganda 

Yotkom medical team teaching and orientation day

Dr Andrew Wright and Dr Ben Warlow from Australia joined with the Yotkom Medical Centre team for a day of getting to know each other,  enjoying some medical education and gaining  more understanding of the Yotkom vision and values.
Our team consists of a supervising Doctor, two clinical officers, four nurses, two nurse assistants, two administrative officers, two laboratory technicians, an x Ray technician, as well as our chaplain, counsellor and other support staff.
We are prepared for day one on Monday !
We know this is the beginning of a medical centre of excellence for Kitgum Uganda

The team at Yotkom Medical Centre will see our first patients on October 12 th 2015

It is so exciting to anticipate the opening of our medical centre in less than a week !

This Saturday, Two days before we open our doors , our medical and support staff team of 20 will gather together for a full day of orientation, building relationships and sharing the vision and values of the Yotkom leadership.

Landscaping and planting of our garden have commenced.

Solar System with over twenty panels and an intelligent inverter along with generator back up are ensuring a reliable energy source.

This means we can set up a computer network to allow clinicians to document patient consultations and also access up to date on line medical information on drugs and the latest therapeutic approaches to common conditions,

 

Our X-ray technician, Julius , has successfully set up the machine and taken good quality film.

8 solar batteries safely locked away within the building 

The main computer server station in the administrators office.

Access to quickbooks online for account keeping and sales receipts .

Clinical officers are proudly setting up their work space with desk chairs , examination couch and easy access to sinks for hand washing. Effective LED lighting will provide good night time consulting spaces.

The new pharmacy , dispensary had been fitted out with cupboards and shelves remodelled from our previous premises.

Thankyou to all who have helped us come to this point.

Your ongoing assistance will make it possible to stock our pharmacy with drugs and our emergency room with dressings and instruments for wound repair , fracture treatment and surgery.

Helping to train medical workers for South Sudan

Yotkom medical centre in Kitgum is going to be a centre of excellence  where Clinical officers undertaking their medical training can be posted for supervision.
In March 2016  the first group of students in their third year of studies will come to work alongside our experienced doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and  x Ray technicians in the new Yotkom medical facility.
They will have an opportunity to learn best practices and get invaluable experience to help them provide good care to the communities of South Sudan.
This week, the head of the training school,  paediatrician Dr Aniel Cherian came to visit , meeting our team and inspecting the nearly completed medical centre,

We are excited about having a role in education and being able to influence these future young  Doctors who will treat patients in Uganda and Sudan.

Considering the future of health provision in Kitgum

Part of the vision of Yotkom Uganda is to assist gifted and promising young students from this community to gain the education and experience they require to be high quality health professionals of the future.

This young man, Fred , is in senior school and has expressed an interest in future medical studies. Our Ugandan Yotkom doctors , Richard and Peter have agreed to mentor him and monitor his progress with a view to possible future sponsorship.
It is so important that we invest in the future medical work force for this community where the population is growing rapidly and the needs are great.
If you would like to help and equip people like Fred please donate to our Yotkom Uganda project.

Evaluating pain management protocols

Dr Ben Warlow is a young Australian Doctor who has a desire to help the poor in Northern Uganda.

In his own words, he has a white skin, but a black Acholi heart.
He feels a strong connection to the community here.
Three years ago he came to Kitgum Uganda and the relationships and friendships he formed here have left a lasting impression and a desire to return.
Ben is working to collect information on the use of pain relief in resource poor settings, particularly for procedures like fracture reductions, burns and wound dressings.

He has made connections with health workers in Yotkom, the Bregma clinic, Givernment Hospital and St Joseph's  Hospital. He is observing procedures and noting effectiveness and side effects of various approaches as well as considering cost issues.

At the end of his four weeks here, he will be making recommendations to Yotkom for implementing best practices in our new medical centre due to open in October.
We trust these  clinical guidelines will assist our doctors and nurses to provide appropriate pain relief for the patients attending our clinic.
Thanks Ben for your sacrifice and commitment to be here.
You have earnt your local nickname of "Oteka" : The great one !
And you are also a friend. (Omera) to many !