In Africa many people die from diseases that are simply, easily and cheaply preventable or treatable: malaria, diarrhoea, respiratory infections and malnutrition.
In areas with Malaria the use of mosquito bed-nets and administration of high-dose vitamin A can halve the death rate of children under 5.
Since 2010 we have provided communities in eastern Uganda with a total of 2300 mosquito nets and funded the drugs and vitamin A for mobile clinics.
We have funded the construction of a Health Centre in the village of Busamaga. This was opened in December 2015 and is now serving the community. SHAPE funding now supports the operation of this Health Centre and pays for some staff salaries, ongoing drugs and medicine supplies and medical equipment.
How we have been helping
- Uganda: Since the opening of the Busamaga Health Centre, built and funded by SHAPE, we have continued to support its operation through a SHAPE representative on the local management committee, and by providing funds to pay part of the costs associated with medicines, equipment, salaries and other running costs. Our long term aim is that routine costs will at some time all be funded by the Ugandan Health Authority and from revenues. Dr Fletcher visited the health centre in Nov 2016 to review progress in its operation and SHAPE members visited again in February 2023.
How you can help
July 2023
The past 24 months have been most challenging as we recover form Covid and were able to restart our fundraising activities. We are grateful to the Rotary Club of Cheltenham for their generous donations that have helped our work continue including a grant to pay the salary of the Health Centre lab technician. Our ongoing work also continues due the most generous donations and regular standing orders that help replenish our funds. Our visit to the Health Centre in February was a great success and news of that trip will be published shortly.
Health Centre Statistics 2024. The figures below show the totals for the period 1st January 2024 to 14th April 2024. It is particularly pleasing to see the number of successful live births continuing, and also the continued success with outpatients and child immunisations in the Health Centre and surrounding district.
Out Patients 524
Maternity 18 (all live births)
Antenatal Care 123
Immunisation 473
Family Planning 70
Maternity Referrals to hospital 7
SHAPE – Promoting Education – As our name suggests we also wish to support both health and general education in Busamaga. Thanks to some generous donations that began in 2023 we are able to commit to sending monthly sums to both the Primary and Secondary schools in Busamaga. That financial help has been gratefully received and was much needed.
Health Centre Management Committee 2024 – Membership of this committee has now been renewed and SHAPE is pleased that the Sironko Health District Authority is now represented by Mr Richard Wambede.