Starting with HIV

As you might guess, HIV is a major issue in Uganda as it is in other sub-Saharan countries. The plan for the morning is a review lecture followed by ward rounds at the Joint Clinical Research Center in Kampala.

Established by the Ugandan Government, the Center works in collaboration with UCSF, Johns Hopkins, NIH, ITM (Antwerp & Hamburg). Much of the funding comes from PEPFAR & EDCTP.

 

forget your standard thoughts of US or Ger man hospitals.  There are two wards where we made rounds: one for the men, one for women. The windows are open with light and fresh air coming in. The nurses here know how to manage IV medications as there are no fancy electronic pumps.  The ward is squeaky clean.  Some family are present helping.  Opportunistic infections are the reason every is here. Malnutrition is a fact of life.

Currently (WHO statistics) – HIV disease accounts for 17% of the annual mortality over all and about 7% in those under the age of 5. Life expectancy at birth is 57 years. If you make it to age 60, you have on the average another 16 years ahead of you. The death rate/100,000 population from HIV/AIDS has dropped from 440 in 1990 to 169 in 2013. The accuracy of either statistic is in serious question. 85% of the population is rural. Death registration is no more accurate I suspect than birth registration and cause of death is going to be as much political as medical.

Our early afternoon has a lab and discussion of opportunistic infections. We drive to Mobria for a field trip on medical botany. Pictures will be forth coming, but the 2 hour hike through the forest was a blast. The plants are blurring in my mind, the red tail monkeys were a hoot and there was something called a blue ttracto ??? flying from tree to tree and expressing extreme displeasure at our presence

road construction delayed out arrival to Jinja till about 2000.  The rain kept most vehicles and people off our interesting back route alternative

 

 

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One Response to Starting with HIV

  1. AlisonH says:

    Thank heavens for every medical person looking out for those who need their help.

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