D9800 Networker - Maternal Health Update
Cross-posted from Rotary District 9800 Networker Newsletter - Read More
Matthew and Stella Proctor from Rotary Albert Park travelled to Uganda in January 2024 to meet with community members and staff of the Kyebe Maternity Clinic, a rural facility in desperate need of repair and renovations, with members from the Rotary Club of Konge Lukuli.
The clinic is located in the Kyotera District of south-western Uganda and during the wet season is cut off from the region for months on end. The facility is around 130km from the capital of Uganda, Kampala, and serves a local township population of around 3000, and the wider district of 25,000.
After a 5-hour drive from Kampala Matthew and Stella were met by community leaders and representatives of the clinic (including the midwife-on-duty). They toured the facility, including the main Maternity Ward and other buildings, to learn more about the current state of the facility and its needs.
They spent the day with the community leaders and midwife learning more about the challenges of the facility, their current and future needs, and starting the conversation about specific renovation goals and timelines.
The facility was inspected in detail, including structural aspects, the equipment being used and (lack of) consumable items. Ultimately, the renovations were agreed upon with local representatives of the village, the staff of the facility and members of the Rotary Club of Konge Lukuli. Renovations included:
Repair and replacement of many broken/missing windows
Repair of deteriorating internal walls
Resizing the delivery & examination rooms
Replacement of collapsed ceiling collapse (from a large tree that fell many years ago)
Repairs to rainwater tank, to provide fresh water for the facility
Replacement old/worn mattresses and beds
Provision of addition obstetric consumables
The Rotary Club of Konge Lukuli is overseeing the project locally, with support and guidance from Albert Park, and are visiting the site on a monthly basis to ensure works are on track. The team on the ground is focusing on using as many local resources, contractors and builders, to help support the local community and provide valuable employment opportunities.
To date, Rotary Albert Park has received support from Rotary Clubs in Victoria and around the world, including Balwyn, Brighton North, Randers Sondre (Denmark), Konge Lukuli (Uganda), Gaba (Uganda) and Newmarket (New Zealand).
Thank-you to District 9800 for publishing this story and sharing an update on this project!
