2024 Easter Appeal for 5 Baby Incubators

We would like to share with you the inspiring story of one of our recent patients, Rebecca, which has led us to launch this Easter Appeal. When Rebecca and her husband, fell pregnant, the young couple was overjoyed. But their happiness for some months was worrisome when they learned that Rebecca’s pregnancy was very risky and needed extra care. That’s when she was referred for the expert care. During her first prenatal visit, the midwife referred her to a facility that offers ultrasounds only that she never had the fees for ultrasound.

“When the pregnancy was five months, we went to visit a gynaecologist who recommended an ultrasound scan, when it came out, we realised we had a very risky pregnancy and it would be difficult to deliver normally, he explained to us that though it was risky to deliver the babies before term by caesarean section, it was the only possible and better way to have the pregnancy delivered with minimal complications”. “It was hard to hear about the management plan because I kept imagining how tiresome and risky it would be to take care of the triplets delivered before actual date until they are able to cope up in an environment outside the womb”, Rebecca narrated.

Cared for by the expert team, an elective C-section was done for her, she delivered three babies who have to be admitted in the New-born Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where they have spent slightly over a month round-the-clock care. One of the babies was in a very critical situation, we are glad to see that all of them are stable and now feed with ease Every year, our NICU team cares for over 200 premature babies, each staying an average of four weeks. Despite our dedicated efforts, sustaining this level of care is challenging due to the high subsidy required. As the sole facility offering neonatal care to a population of over 300,000, we face equipment shortages, forcing us to have two premature babies share one incubator at times. With only three incubators available in our neonatal unit, accommodating 23 neonates, providing individualized care is difficult.

This Easter, we are launching an appeal to raise funds for at least five (5) new baby incubators at US $2500 each, totaling US$ 12500. These will create a conducive environment for the fragile newborns and reduce the risk of infections resulting from sharing equipment. Your contribution to this cause would be greatly appreciated. No donation is too small, and every contribution will make a difference in the lives of these fragile newborns and their families. We thank you for your continued support and hope you will consider joining us in this Easter Appeal. Together, we can provide hope and healing to those in need. We need about 12,500 USD to have 5 Baby Incubators Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed Easter filled with joy and happiness.

Oxygen plant appeal

The second wave of covid -19 was more severe compared to the first wave and as a result we had to swiftly open our medical ward before completion to handle the increasing number of covid- 19 cases. With our little resources, we managed many cases in the Bwindi area, though with many constraints on securing Personal protection equipment (PPE) in management of covid cases and very high prices for refilling oxygen cylinders (approximately 15 cylinders of oxygen needed per day) with the nearest filling station being over 100km and on the Bwindi roads and terrain. .

BCH tested and recorded the first patient with a positive RDT for COVID-19 on 17th May, 2021, soon after,the cases escalated and we became the covid treatment centre in our region..

As of June 30th 2021, we had tested 259 people, and with a positivity rate of 52%. We had managed 85 people under home isolation, among these; 76 had been discharged, nine were still being followed up, and no death had been registered.

We admitted 50 patients; 41 had been discharged, one was still admitted and was improving, two were still on ward and in critical state and 6 deaths had been registered.A total of six staff had contracted the disease and fortunately no death.

We are doing everything possible to sustain health services to the community albeit with increasingly limited funding. As we prepare for the 3rd wave, we urgently need your support to help save lives by boosting access to critical oxygen therapy and the availability of personal protective equipment for health workers. We need about 300,000 USD to have an oxygen plant.

Responding to the impact of COVID-19 in Bwindi

Bwindi hospital has piloted taking essential drugs to vulnerable patients in 101 villages in our catchment area. These patients who are already immune suppressed are not able to travel to the hospital to access the medicine due to the travel restrictions put by the government to curtail the spread of COVID-19. A team of 6 nurses goes out to the community every day, so that these vulnerable patients can carry on receiving the care they need. Unfortunately, we do not know how long this will last, however, we would need $27,000 to run this activity for the next three months. .

Construction of 6 Senior staff units

Funding required: USD 100,000, per unit. Status: We are seeking funding pledges.

Ambulance for Outreaches

The hospital conducts weekly outreaches to communities where over 70,000 people are reached and services are extended closer to people in the communities to reduce on the expenses they have to meet traveling from areas 88 km away from the hospital and beyond. We also offer emergency services especially referrals of pregnant and risky mothers who come from their villages to deliver from the hospital. This is achieved using our ambulance which is currently in a bad state due to poor roads in the area.

We are therefore seeking for funds to purchase a new ambulance to help in transporting these vulnerable mothers and other emergencies to the hospital but also help transport referral cases that the hospital is not able to manage to the nearest regional referral hospital that is 6-7 hours drive from our Hospital . Your support is highly appreciated for this noble appeal. Funding required: $75,000 Funding received: $9,000 Status: Actively seeking for funding.

Staff training and development

Top up for a medical officer : $10,056, Training of an orthopedic surgeon:$16,917, Training of a staff in Medical Education-Midwifery:$11,214, Training of a staff in Medical Education-Public Health and Dentistry:$11,214. Status: We are seeking funding pledges.

Staff salaries

Pediatrician, monthly;$2400- Annually;$28800, Gynecologist, monthly;$2400- Annually;$28800, Surgeon, monthly;$2400-Annually;$28800, Physician, monthly;$2400- Annually;$28800, Nurse/Midwife, monthly,$601-Annually;$7211, Medical Officer, monthly;$1447-Annually;$17365, Clinical Instructor, monthly;$946-Annually,13614, Tutor, monthly;$1134, Annually-$13614, Clinical Officer, monthly;$703-Annually,$8441.

IT Infrastructure

Salary support for an IT Programmer:Cost:$ 1200 monthly. Net worker Server: Funding required: $8000, 5 mbps broad band internet Band width with monthly charges Funding required: $1250, 15 Desktops (Intel core i5) Funding Required: $669 for each, 20 laptops (Intel core i5) Funding Required:$ 715 for each. Operational costs for a Mobile Community Health Information System(mCHIS);$152172 annually Status: We are still seeking funding pledges