Free Medical Clinics

Uganda Village Project volunteers organize one free clinic at each village where volunteers are living, with the assistance of local Non-Governmental Organizations.  Temporary two-day clinics are held by UVP health professionals and students, in collaboration with Ugandan doctors, health workers, and medical students.  Interpreters work with UVP volunteers to facilitate patient communication.

Patients typically present with highly treatable infectious diseases such as malaria, intestinal roundworm, gastrointestinal bacterial infections, and pelvic inflammatory disease.  Bilingual patient records are kept and analyzed for trends in diagnosis and treatment, as well as for local health care referral.  Patients waiting for medical care can attend educational sessions on HIV/AIDS Transmission and Prevention and on Sanitation/Nutrition.  Clinical volunteers also focus on individual prevention education, given that most patients present with entirely preventable forms of illness.

Visiting Medical Team

In 2005, UVP medical volunteers will begin serving as a visiting medical team, offering services to complement those of pre-existing local clinics on selected days.  While working alongside Ugandan health workers, UVP volunteers will provide medical supplies, drugs, and hands-on education.  UVP volunteers will teach Ugandan health workers about sanitary methods, supply use, diagnostics, and drug safety.  Collaborative clinical care will also allow UVP volunteers to learn about tropical medicine and local perceptions of disease from Ugandan health workers. 

Eyesight

At UVP clinics, visual acuity tests are performed and eyeglasses are distributed where needed by specially trained volunteers.  Used eyeglasses are brought to Uganda by volunteers who solicit donations in the U.S.  This program was designed in collaboration with the American charity, Unite For Sight.

HIV Counseling/Testing

Villagers and Ugandan Non-Governmental Organizations requested that UVP fund HIV testing in rural areas of the Iganga District, given that it is inaccessible to the vast majority.  Rapid Assessment Procedure showed that Ugandan men were determined to reduce their sexual promiscuity if they had a means of knowing that they were HIV positive.  For these reasons, UVP hires HIV testing and counseling services to be provided at its clinics.  Counselors and technicians are hired from the AIDS Information Centre, Iganga Hospital staff, and local Non-Governmental Organizations.  Ugandans perform a confirmatory test on those who test positive, and provide pre- and post-test counseling for those who test negative or positive.  Patients testing positive are referred to local clinics, Iganga Hospital, and The AIDS Support Organization in Jinja.

Medical Supply Redistribution