The Clinic

I only wish I had taken some more pictures of the clinic! I was just too busy to take pictures! And when I had a free moment, there were usually patients around. Although Uganda does not have HIPPA laws, I would never take photos of patients. And I especially would not take them and post them. So unfortunately, I will have to just describe the clinic to you for the most part.


There are two locations of the clinic in Uganda. There is a large building that is two stories called MCH (Mother/Child Health). It was meant to be the main clinic, with a labor department upstairs! Sadly, the non-profit that built the clinic for our non-profit did so using "bad bricks". Therefore, it is currently not able to be used until it is rebuilt. It's actually super sad. It's a beautiful building!

There are a few sections that are stable and able for patient use. There is a room used for all mother/child visits. This consists of prenatal, antenatal. and postnatal care. (which means before, during, and after having a baby!). Family planning is also discussed and birth control options are available. This really has given the women in this community so much independence and autonomy over their lives and bodies. Instead of having baby after baby, a women can now protect herself from unwanted pregnancies and the unwanted complications that are associated with them, especially in this region. Well-child visits are also done in this room and vaccinations are given to the babies.

This is that room!

While there are generators at the other clinic, electricity is scare at MCH. We are grateful to YOU for donating these headlamps. They are used in the labor and delivery room next door. It is perfect to have an exam light and be able to see everything very clearly.

I was able to "catch" a baby while in Uganda. We had many laboring moms. In September, there were 31 deliveries! Not sure exactly how many there were in August, but I can tell you that this was well used and loved.

This is an outside patio of MCH. Most likely to be used at the waiting area once MCH is fully operational again. It truly is a beautiful building. 

The hallway of MCH. The rooms directly behind are the Labor and delivery room and the mother/child visit room. 

These are the MCH midwives, outreach team members, and other clinic staff. We love these ladies!!!!

The rest of the clinic is currently being held about a 5 minute walk from MCH. We are currently renting this building until MCH is rebuilt. At this clinic, there is an outdoor area filled with wooden pews. This is the waiting area. During the patient's wait, educators are in the waiting area providing everyone with health information. I kind of wish we did this in the US.

From there, the patient will go to the vitals area. There are two work stations in this area. The clinic staff with obtain all the patient's vitals and a height and weight. They also get an arm circumference of their patients here. I thought that was interesting, as we do not do that in the US. All the blood pressure were taken manually while I was there, as well as pulses and respiratory rates. You lovely people provided the clinic with two automatic blood pressure machines. We trained the staff on how to use them! Now the vitals station will be even more efficient!

 My dear friend holding the new blood pressure machine in the vitals area.

From the vitals area, the patients will come out to this patio. There are benches along the walls and in the middle. Patients will sit in front of the room they are waiting for. There are 6 rooms here, 3 on each side. The door you can just see on the left is the farthest door. That is the vitals station where people come out of to this area. South of that is a treatment area. This is where minor surgeries occur, IV treatments are given, and other important procedures that need their own room. Just down from there is the lab (see later pictures). 

To the right is the pharmacy where patients can get their prescriptions. The final two rooms are assessment rooms, where patients will meet with their provider, get assessed and then come back for the results of their lab testing. 

(Both people pictured are staff members. Clinic as closed at this time). The green container is safe water for washing hands. 

Me at in the lab, working on malaria testing.

Above is me working on testing a malaria sample. Below is the set-up.

This is the lab station. In the lab, we are able to test blood glucose (sugar), pregnancy testing, UTI (Urine infection) testing, HIV testing, syphilis testing, and malaria testing.

To test for malaria, the patient's finger is pricked and a blood drop is smeared onto a glass slide. We then heat the blood until dry and stain the slides with two different dyes (pictured above). Once dry, the slides are then put under the microscope where we visually inspect them for malaria.

A little bit bigger picture of the lab room. It is a smaller room, as most are. The table behind is where the microscope is and the computer records the patient's results. We are blessed to have electronic medical charting at this clinic site. It is so helpful to look at a patient's entire medical record.

This picture shows Emma (gentleman taking the other clinic worker's temperature). He is the lab director. He is super amazing!!! I was just teaching them how to use their new thermometers in this picture.

Clinic is a really great place, filled with people that sincerely care about others. Patients will walk miles and miles to get here. Barefoot. On dirt roads and through dense forests. Someone that walks for two days to come seek medical treatment, man. Those people are downright incredible. These people are stronger than anything. It's a blessing to serve them.