Renovation

It’s good to see things improved around the compound whether it be fences and paths or vehicles and buildings. It had been embarrassing to see some patients in pain being transported to the wards on trolleys which were shaking due to the rough gravel driveway causing more discomfort so it is encouraging to see the new path from Out-Patients to the ward area now available.  We plan to further extend it to the surgical ward to enable transfer of theatre patients to be smooth and comfortable as well.  We are grateful to friends at Mortimer Church in Reading for sponsoring the path.

 Some of our vehicles are quite old now and the roads here do shake them up a lot so it has been good to see the mechanics working on renovation of the old landrover.  They were so enthusiastic with the spray painting that they have now gone on to also paint hospital lockers!

On the building renovation side we are really grateful to the churches and individuals who supported the work on the old flax factory that houses our surgical wards.   

The first half is open with female patients, mostly those needing gynaecology operations.   

We hope to raise support to continue this work to the other side of the building which houses the male surgical ward and the extension with the female general-surgery patients.

 

Rev. Patrick sorting out the new Chaplain's office

The Chaplains have just moved to a new office that is much nearer to the Chapel and the wards so will be more convenient for the services – especially in the rainy season!  The room is more spacious and a good place for counseling and praying with patients and relatives.  It will be well used in the next few weeks as we prepare for the Hospital Mission on the weekend of 17-19^th October which has the theme “Free Indeed” (which also happens to have been the title used for the magazine produced by the Christian Union at Ian’s medical school, the Royal Free Hospital in London).

Locally grown papyrus reeds are used to make fences.  Papyrus swamps are a common feature in the region though as the population grows very fast more and more swamps are being drained and used for agriculture.  The valley above Kisiizi is being increasingly cultivated with the result that the flow of water along the river and over our waterfall is significantly less than in the past which poses challenges to our hydro-electricity generation in the dry season.