A Bunch of Terrorists?

Who are ISIS? Are they:

1.       An Islamic terrorist organisation, or

2.       A charitable foundation funding Kiwoko Hospital’s Maternity and HIV clinics for the past 10 years?

Because the answer is both,  ISIS (the 2^nd one) have recently been getting funny looks. For example, when they got their car insured in Uganda, they were asked ‘Do you want terrorism cover included?”

They could have taken legal action against ISIS (the 1^st one) about breach of copyright, but decided this may not be a healthy thing to do. So,  this week ISIS (the 2^nd one) changed their name to Adara. 

As part of the communication of this Malcolm came across some staff making a video.

You can see the full video explaining the name change, and the work of Adara on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=V0lLcpEGuqQ

Not to be out-done, Malcolm is also making a video of the work of the HIV clinic. This involves attending a range of clinics and visiting some of the community work to take video of some of the 2,000 patients.

Malcolm himself almost felt hijacked this week. Not known for his sporting prowess (another of his (very) hidden talents) he finds it a bit unnerving living with those who regularly go jogging and other energetic activities. This week, early morning, he innocently walked onto the verandah of his house to discover a full scale ’30 minute workout with Davina”. Terrified, he had to go back and lie down again.

To round things off, Santa has also been hijacked. Two weeks ago we mentioned Father Christmas had visited Kiwoko Hospital. We are sorry to report that he must have become a victim of the white slave trade. This week an imposter was discovered by the hospital laboratory waiting for his test results.

 

(Editor’s note for our younger readers (i.e. younger than Malcolm, which is all of you): Both  these characters are imposters – the ‘real’ Father Christmas is meant to come on Christmas Eve – he is currently busy at work in Greenland, not Uganda.  It’s just as well Santa is not known in Uganda, as his outfit can be borrowed by children here  like a coat to keep them warm, without attracting any attention).

  

This week’s African Proverb from the BBC’s website is from South Sudan: “A cowardly hyena lives longer but it suffers the most”. 

Doing his Bit for World TB Day?

March 24^th each year is World TB day, when we are reminded that of the 9 million who contract TB each year, 3 million are ‘missed’ and are therefore untreated, and most of whom die. Many of these are from poor communities such as in Uganda.

http://www.who.int/campaigns/tb-day/2014/event/en/

Malcolm had assumed that as he had been given a BCG vaccination at school he was safefrom TB. Not so, apparently. About 5 weeks ago he started coughing, and after 4 weeks he was advised to get a chest X-Ray to make sure it was not caused by a lung infection,such as TB.

Fortunately the hospital has an X-Ray machine which, although 30 years old is still working well. This means it produces traditional photographic X-rays unlike the digital images we are used to in England. The Radiographer, Bernard, quickly manoeuvred Malcolm into the correct position, having decided the rear was his best view.

Just a few minutes later the image had been printed, and we are pleased to report that no problem was found. TB? Just another case of man-flu. (Malcolm's comment is 'Cough Cough, splutter splutter' - he would say that! )

 

However, the contribution from the Daily Mail this week may mean it’s a type of cat-flu!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2590699/Two-British-people-contract-tuberculosis-contact-cat-recorded-cases-cat-human-transmission.html)

Looking for further advances in medical science and maybe find a cure for TB Malcolm went to cut a piece of bread and discovered the loaf was a potential source of new mould, or perhaps penicillin replacement? Perhaps not.

 

There was more excitement this week when a container arrived from America from one of the hospital’s funders. For many years ISIS have funded the maternity and baby Intensive Care Unit. Part of this support is to send a container of essential equipment and supplies which is gratefully received and attracts a crowd of interested people.

 

 

This week’s Proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Somalia: “The absence of knowledge is the absence of light”