Mission Mannya

Mission Mannya– St Bernard’s Health Centre 2023

Aim:

To provide health services to between 2,000 and 4,000 vulnerable and underprivileged individuals through a mixture of outreach programs, health assessments and acute medical work in rural Ugandan Communities. In addition, we aim to provide preventative healthcare and education to 2,500 isolated and impoverished peoples.

The Mission Mannya team will aim to achieve this through an intensive outreach program to the villages of Mannya, Kagongero, Kisaasa, Lambikiriza, Busibo, Nambaale and Buyaga in South Western Uganda.

This will be achieved by two main programs run in Novemeber and December 2023.

Program 1 – Mass Outreach Program:

· Offering nutritional assessment to at least 444 children under 5 years in each of the 6 outreach community posts (74 children in each post).

· Screening approximately 1056 people above 15 years for diabetes and hypertension in each of the 6 outreach community posts (176 people at each post).

· Treatment of 1,536 people with general medical ailments as outpatients in each of the 6 outreach community posts (256 at each post.

· Health educating about 2,400 people about preventable diseases at each of the 6 outreach community posts (400 at each post)

Program 2 – Mid Range Surgical Camp

· Offering surgical consultations and assessments to 200 people living in rural areas near Mannya Health Centre by engaging local surgical teams

· Conducting minor and medium range surgical procedures to 60 people and referring at least 140 people to fully developed surgical centres for further treatment in 7 days.

There will be a mixture of Australian Doctor’s and Medical Student’s giving their time to help this project and it’s goals achievable and we are asking you to support us on our journey.

For every dollar raised here, the Cotton On Foundation will match it to help us meet the proposed budget for health services.

Background:

St Bernard’s is a level III Health Centre in the Rakai District of Uganda, 14 000 kilometers from Australia. Uganda is dominated by infectious diseases, which account for over 50% of morbidity and mortality. Many deaths are preventable if the appropriate care is provided.

St Bernard’s has grown from servicing a small community with a single Medical Officer and a group of dedicated nurses to a level III center which services a much wider community and scope. In 2007, St Bernard’s had no access to electricity, lab testing and many procedures were done by torchlight in makeshift treatment rooms.

Now, with the assistance of the Cotton On Foundation and other charitable groups, St Bernard’s has a full-time doctor, 5 Medical Officers, a surgical theater, a dentist chair and 17,000-18,000 attendances per year. In addition, St Bernard’s provides services including, but not limited to:

• Men’s, women’s and paediatric acute medical wards

• Pre, antenatal and post-natal care for impoverished mothers

• Vaccination clinics

• Functioning laboratory

• STD testing and treatment

• HIV/AIDs center

• Diagnosis, treatment and psychological support for affected individuals

• Outreach clinics to nearby villages

• Health checks

• Vaccination services

• Health education and literacy

• School health checks

• Infectious disease screening

However, progress itself comes with challenges. As St Bernard’s grows, so does the strain on finance and resources. This is where we would hope our project – and you – can help. More people can always be reached, and the most vulnerable often do not have access to life-saving health advice and treatment. Particularly those too isolated to reach a Health Centre such as St Bernard’s.

You can help rectify this health injustice for 2,000 – 4,000 patients who would not otherwise have access to these facilities. Every dollar counts and every donation can save a life.

We have attached a full breakdown of our itinerary and budget costs for full details of how the trip will run.

This figure is not enough to achieve health justice, but it IS something. That is 2,000- 4,000 mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children or grandparents who may be saved a life of ailment and distress simply by receiving basic healthcare that we often take for granted.

The Project:

Between the 25th of November and the 8th of December 2023, 9 Doctors and Medical Students will be working with St Bernard’s Health Centre in Mannya to conduct a ‘Mass Outreach Program’ and ‘Surgical Camp’.

This program has been developed by local medical officers, surgeons and charitable organizations to ensure the needs of the communities are best met. The work being done is extensive and we and has taken many months to conceptualize and plan. We are now in the phase of raising funds to ensure as many of our goals can be achieved, people touched and lives saved.

Join us in fundraising to provide health aid to children, the elderly and vulnerable community members in remote villages. Trained medical students and doctors will spend a large portion of their allocated leave traveling to Uganda to assist the Mannya Health Clinic in providing general health checks, dental work, nutrition education and public health education. We will travel to 6 surrounding communities as well as provide primary health care at St Bernard’s itself.

The total cost of the project is estimated at between $25,000 and $40,000 AUD – Every dollar counts, and every dollar means more can be achieved!

We have attached a breakdown of the budget costs and itinerary, which we encourage people to read if they are interested in donating.

We cannot thank the Cotton On Foundation enough for pledging to MATCH every dollar raised through our efforts. Although unlikely, any money left over would go towards funding these projects in the future.

Thank you for your time. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact.

We look forward to working with you.

If you would like to check out any of Cotton On’s other projects, please head to the following website to see the amazing work they do:

https://cottonongroup.com.au/the-good-we-do/cotton-on-foundation/