Medics in Uganda

Uganda
Orphanages in Uganda
Teaching in Uganda

Gap Jobs placements are situated in the lush green Jinja district of Uganda, with Jinja town itself serving as the main centre of Mad activities in this area. Jinja lies on the banks of Lake Victoria, about an hour and a half’s drive from Kampala. It is a very beautiful area of Uganda, with Jinja looking out over Lake Victoria, the source of the river Nile. Due to its proximity to the Nile the area is very lush with the area’s main vegetation being banana and coffee trees.

The purpose of this project is to offer support to the various levels and types of medical care in Uganda, focusing our efforts on both urban and rural areas. This work provides the opportunity for volunteers to witness for themselves and help to counter the effects of poverty, poor diet and poor health in different kinds of communities. The introduction of volunteers and external support and assistance comes in, offering a fresh mind and a new pair of hands to help with the work in what are under-funded and overstretched facilities.

Your medical placement in Uganda will largely depend on your level of experience. Those medics third year and above are currently able to volunteer in the main hospitals in Jinja town as well as rural clinics. Those below third year of medical study will only be able to volunteer in the more rural clinics.

Your daily work will depend on which hospitals and health centres you are placed in. While those in the hospital have the opportunity to take part in work within any of its departments – both participating and shadowing the local doctor’s and nurses’ procedures; those in the more rural health centres may be focussing on two different departments: curative and preventative.

The curative department assesses and examines, and then treats outpatients with the option of being admitted should the nature of their illness require it. The latter department deals with issues such as school health inspections; home improvement campaigns; safe water and sanitation; immunisation and latrine coverage. Volunteers are able to get involved in any of these areas, with the outreach work offered being particularly interesting and rewarding as it offers the chance to get right out into the heart of their wonderful community.

Follow your placement with an amazing East African Adventure

Orphanages in Uganda

Across Africa there is a large problem with orphaned children, or children who have, for one reason or another, taken to the streets. The main reason for this is the cycle of poverty and disease: families have little in the way of income, most relying on subsistence farming, which in turn leads to less food for the home, and no money to treat health problems, which again turns to increased risk in terms of health and the spread of disease, and a higher rate of orphaned children. While traditionally such children would then go to the care of extended family, as families have so little in turns of resources anyway, this often leads to neglect, malnourishment, and even abuse.

In Uganda, there is no strict Government policy which deals with children in such a manner. Therefore it is up to private institutes and donors to support these children. Carework in Uganda will be part time, and can be combined with other placements.

Your work will mainly be to provide support, games and play to the children on return from their schooling: in an environment where the children have very little in terms of loving support, this is crucial to their development. There is also the opportunity to assist classes in one of the pre-schools for orphans we have links with.

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