Sept Blog 2022

Thought for the day: 4 things we cannot recover in life- Words after they are said: Moments after they are missed: Actions after they are done: Time after it’s gone.

 

Our incredible journey continues…….

Warm greetings dear friends, fifteen years ago a team of five devoted health professionals set out into the community to conduct the first HIV testing outreach in Kanyanya village in Kawempe division. This marked the beginning of establishing Kawempe Home Care as an organisation.

The KHC fifteen years anniversary was celebrated with KHC clients, staff and board members, at a thanksgiving ceremony at the Kasangati Outreach clinic.  We prayed and thanked the Almighty God for the blessing that he had given KHC and we also prayed for the souls of clients’ who had passed on.

The KHC board chairman, Dr Victor Musiime, thanked the team for the wonderful work done over the years to care for patients with HIV/TB and Cancer. He noted the need to put more focus on the needs of the patients and to look for more opportunities to enable them lead healthy lives and improve their livelihoods through Household Economic Strengthening. He also thanked the donor organisations and private individuals who have provided financial or in-kind support to KHC during the past fifteen years.

I was pleased to also share the news of the final payment on a half an acre of land. KHC is now one step closer to having a permanent home with our goal now being the construction of a 100-bed capacity hostel for children with cancer receiving treatment at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI). The new facility will be designed to have accommodation services, counselling rooms, a play area, prayer room, a fruit and vegetable garden, a clinic/treatment room etc. 
Currently plans are underway to start a fundraising campaign to raise funds for the construction of the hostel. 

Improving health outcomes for our patients

Recently some of the KHC medical team attended a planning meeting with PULESA Uganda. One of the key discussion items was how many people living with HIV also have issues with blood pressure. The discussion focused on how to integrate and strengthen treatment for these patients. The strategies identified and the implementation will be supported by the National Centre of Health in the USA.

KHC strongly supports health services that can benefit our patients and this service will be integrated with our HIV patient care.

USAID Defeat TB Project –End of Project conference

For the past 4 years KHC been a part of a major campaign with USAID Defeat TB Project, to combat and develop pathways to fight the TB epidemic in Africa.  The campaign period has ended, and USAID Defeat TB held a conference with the theme “Innovations for setting the pathway to end the TB Epidemic in Uganda by 2030”. 

The one-day event had delegates either attending or participating online. The goal was to showcase the project’s achievements, experiences, and best practices in TB programming.

KHC was recognized for being one of the civil society organisation’s that successfully implemented community activities, including contact tracing and community screening of TB.

 

The award was presented by the Minister Hon. Jane Aceng.

 

 

 

Credit for the success of this program at KHC goes to the wonderful CB DOTS team who were committed and achieved great results in the communities identifying and directing medical support for people infected with TB.

Good Work in TB Continues

KHC recently won a grant with Uganda Stop TB Partnership and The AIDS Support Organisation, to improve TB detection in the community through contact tracing.

The KHC community volunteers received training in TB contact tracing, and they have made significant inroads in identifying and tracing TB infections in the community.     Well done!

Palliative Care Award

Recently at the African Palliative Care Association (APCA) conference, KHC was recognized and appreciated for the support and contribution in improving patient access to palliative care services in Africa. It is rewarding particularly for the staff who work tirelessly for our patients, to be recognized by such a prestigious body as the African Palliative Care Association.

 Left: Auleria Atuhaire (Palliative care specialist at NHCH) and Dorcus Mufumba (Clinical Officer) represented KHC at the conference.

We won’t be resting on our laurels as there is always plenty to do!

Congratulations!

It was wonderful news when we heard one of our staff, Aidah Nanozi, recently had a traditional marriage at her ancestral home.

As you can see, she looked radiant, and we wish her and her husband a long and happy future together.

 

 

Being heard is very important

The rotary club of Kireka Movers Uganda led by the club Amazing President AP Epher Kenan, recently visited KHC and the New Hope Children’s hostel for children with cancer. The objective was to assess the issues and support needed by the children and their caregivers to access treatment.  Very constructive discussions were held with the children and caregivers to understand their challenges and needs during the child’s treatment.

The Kireka Movers Uganda rotary club has been a wonderful supporter of the hostel particularly with their in-kind donations during some very challenging times. We are extremely grateful to have such a wonderful friend.

International Visitors 

Global Partnership in Care USA, Director, Cyndy Searfoss and her colleague Program Director Lacey Ahern, visited Uganda during the APCA 2022 conference and they spent time at KHC to see first-hand what we provide in palliative care support, especially at our New Hope Children’s hostel. They spent several hours interacting with the children and caregivers, it was a wonderful moment for the children and the staff.

L-R Gerever Niwagaba, Cyndy Searfoss, Sarah Komugisha, Lacey Ahem, Dr. Sam Guma and Alice Tusiimemukama

These visits are very valuable to KHC as it enables people to experience the work we do with our patients.

 

 

Running to Support Cancer Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

GlobalGiving Campaign is Off and Running!

Our association with GlobalGiving and their campaigns, enables us to raise money for our New Hope Children’s hostel and it has been very important as it enables us to provide the basic necessities for the children and their caregivers at the hostel. Campaign Duration: Sept 12 (00:00:00 EDT) – Sept 16 (23:00:00 EDT)

Campaign Rules: All eligible donations up to US$50 per unique donor as individual or per organization will be matched at 50% during the campaign. And the funds contributed by GlobalGiving won’t run out!!!!

How your donation will help:  As long as we have disadvantaged children suffering from cancer and need access to treatment our work is never done. We are constantly requiring food support, fuel for transporting the children to and from treatment, medicines, personal hygiene items to name a few areas that the money helps provide.

So, if you can support this campaign, it will be awesome, your contribution will go that little bit further with the help of GlobalGiving.

Go to:  https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/keeping-poor-children-with-cancer-alive-in-uganda/

What a great investment!!!!

We look forward to another 15 years of helping people in our communities to access medical support.

Regards

Dr. Sam Guma

2 thoughts on “Sept Blog 2022”

  1. Congratulations KHC team. This is certainly a milestone to celebrate.
    I am sure the many people you have helped during this time are also very grateful you were there for them.

    Reply

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