Football Fans to Build a Hospice in Uganda - This gesture is the first one of its kind!

The Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) has entered into partnership with two big football clubs in Kampala for a joint fundraising drive to build a hospice in Arua. The Football Clubs, KCCAFC and the Onduparaka FC are among the biggest brands of Football in Uganda and East Africa. KCCAFC is owned by the governing authority of Uganda’s Capital while the Onduparaka FC hails from the West Nile Region. They both have multitudes of supporters and lovers of soccer across the country. The two clubs have now partnered with PCAU to organize a fundraising drive to support New Life Hospice Arua (NELIHA) to establish a permanent h

ome in Arua. This partnership is as a result of a request by PCAU to both clubs. In 2017, PCAU launched a five year strategic plan which among other key areas focuses on raising resources to support hospice and palliative care initiatives in remote districts of the country.

The World Health Organization(WHO) defines Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients (adults and children) and their families who are facing problems associated with life-threatening illness. It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual.

Palliative care service provision began in Uganda in 1993 through the establishment of Hospice Africa Uganda(HAU). To date, there are 13 standalone hospices across the country with the majority of these located in the central districts near the capital Kampala. This leaves the larger part of upcountry districts in Uganda without hospices. This greatly impacts the provision of palliative care services because ordinarily, the public health care system in Uganda does not offer home care services. Research by Hospice Africa Uganda has shown that majority of patients in their last days prefer to die from home other than in hospital settings. It therefor very important that stand alone hospice arrangements are supported because they offer services such as community out reaches and home care. Otherwise, patients often die in great pain and suffering. This comes along with great distress to the entire family where these patients die.

This year, the palliative care fraternity is celebrating 25 years since these services were first introduced in Uganda. The Palliative Care Association of Uganda which was founded has realized great strides. The Association works closely with the Ministry of Health and has the vision of Palliative Care for all in need in Uganda. A profound achievement for the palliative care fraternity in Uganda is that Morphine which is the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended medicine for treatment of pain among the terminally ill available for patients free of charge. 

The government pays for the production of this medication at Hospice Africa Uganda. Since 2004, the Ugandan laws also allowed specially trained nurses and clinical officers to prescribe this controlled narcotic medicine. This made Uganda the first country to allow this task shifting as opposed to the norm where doctors are the only ones allowed to prescribe such medicines. These among other developments have made Uganda a model of palliative care service provision in Africa.

However, statistics by the Ministry of Health indicate that only or slightly above 10 percent Ugandans in need of Palliative Care receive it. The Health Sector Development Plan 2016-2020 indicates that hospice and palliative care services are being offered in only 4.8% of the public hospitals. This portrays the magnitude of need and why such initiatives and partnerships to support establishment of standalone hospices are valid. The football clubs should also be credited for allowing to use their brands to give back to society.

The KCCA FC and Onduparaka FC will play a charity games in both Kampala and Arua town. The game in Kampala will be played on June 16th while that of Arua will be played on June 30th 2018 at Star Times Stadium Lugogo and Betway Greenlight Stadium respectively. The gate collections from the sale of tickets will go towards the establishment of the first building for the New Life Hospice in Arua (NELIHA).

The two events are expected to raise 500 million Uganda Shillings, which is the estimated cost of establishing the building with its facilities. The building will house a patient’s waiting room, three office rooms and hostel capacity for at least 20 cancer patients receiving treatment at Arua Regional referral Hospital and patients in transit after referral to Uganda Cancer institute (UCI) in Kampala. The location of this hospice is prime given that the communities in West Nile host refugees from the Southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The proposed hospice will therefore serve not only  the locals but also refugees but also citizens of the two neighboring countries who after all travel daily to access health care in Uganda.

Football has a unique way of bringing together people from all walks of life. It is a unifying factor. The planned football games are expected bring together large crowds of over 10,000 football lovers but also philanthropists and policy makers. The games will be utilized by palliative care organizations to give out messages on the services. In addition, the games will offer a platform to advocate for key matters such as the passing of the National Palliative Care Policy by the government. The development and passing of this policy has stalled for about 10 years.

In a world with the ever increasing incidence rate of Non Communicable Diseases, specialist services such as palliative care ought to be prioritized not only by government but also the business community and civil society actors. Universal health coverage(UHC) which as a central place in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 is also defined with palliative care as central. In essence, the WHO has defined UHC to mean that all people should have access to the full spectrum of essential, quality health services they need (health promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care) without the risk of financial hardship when paying for them.

It is actually fine to Listen to Guidance

My friend, there is what you desire to be and what are right now! Ok ? Good ! Now acknowledge that you are not yet that which you desire to be and that is the first step of your journey.

It's also very important that after sometime, you take a flashback on where you were, where you are and what you still have to do to be that which you desire! Got it ? Good!

Now stop living living like you have already arrived. You know why ? Because you will respond to humble instruction or correction as judgement or punishment!

See, do you remember the words.. Do corrections in red ink ? Now incase you missed that, then you will find it a problem being advised or corrected at this stage. I mean at this your age. Yes you. How old are you by the way ?

But never mind, some people learn best by their own experimentation not from experiences of others. So you could be one of the kind! Of Course you will learn eventually. But who know ? You could come out with wounds.

So take the lesson, take instructions, learn to measure your journey and go forth. Yes! Well get there. We are not where we want to be but at least we are not where we used to be...

hehehe so,..don't walk like a rancher yet you have one young cow... Maybe thats what Rev. Father Deo Kiibi... "mbu some of you are like cups at home"...hehehe as in height! Yet on the road, you are too tall.... 

Yes I mean, you just have one cow. Just save to buy more or be humble to ask for help....Now how do you start walking like...hehehe Yes I mean him.

But wait a moment is Afande Kirumira back from Nalufenya ? He is Member of Parliament yet ?

A Beautiful Evening by Katharina Teufel-Lieli

Yours Truly trying it out
- let's say posing for the photo to put here for you.

You see, the name Katharina alone would make the night beautiful.

But look, this is not about my Katharina! It's about another one that I met tonight in Schloss Arenberg. It's winter season in Europe and I had not enjoyed my stay here since I arrived 4 days ago. Salzburg is beautiful. Like Geneva where I visited in October, public transport works here. hehehe yes the buses and trains keep time and there is no hooting!

So I took a bus with colleagues last evening to a shopping mall and we did buy a few items at the a store. I guess people were buying gifts for their loved ones. It is always nice to bring something home from a foreign trip.

But thats beside the point of my coming out today. I wrote to tell you about my maiden night at a Chamber Music Concert! Perhaps you have attended one yourself. Then you have a story. It was my first time to attend. Otherwise I see this on youtube.

Two excellent people presented! Katharina and Peter. Let me tell you we had a great night. Very unique about Chamber Music is that  is quite sombre, phones  are kept in mute mode and no lots movements. Its soothing and speaks to the heart. the blood flows gently during the concert. So the duo prayed Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) and concluded with Astor Piazzola (1921-1992) . "How long does it take to perfect the art ?" I asked katharina... She smiled and let me know that its what she studied and is near a professor now ! You see it's not haphazard at all. 

Amazingly, Katharina and Peter stayed around after the concert and spoke to all who liked them. they let us touch their instruments and that was pretty fine. Did i tell you they were decently dressed ? 

Now back home in Uganda, tell me how I can get to talk to..whats her name ? I mean after her concert...

I miss Humura now. Maybe she will grow up to be a Katharina like Teufel-Lieli. Who knows ? 

Yes, I miss my Soldier. Her and my Katharina are my Soldiers and I am their Afande too! I and my Katharina are Humura's Soldiers, so she gat two Afandes holding huge weapons. Not the kind of weapons held by  Kim Jong Un of our time! Not at all, ours are mighty to destroy strongholds! The kind of full armour of... hehehe it's a kind of army you don't want to be against..very advancing to take over.    

Katharina and Peter doing their soothing thing ! 

This was a very beautiful evening ! Serenity... 

Next in 24 hours:

... Cabin crew, prepare for landing... Cabin Crew, take your seats and then home sweet home I will be to hug my Soldiers. 

See you Afandes! 

My Short Stay in Geneva

So last week I got an opportunity to in Geneva, Switzerland. I arrived on October 23rd and specifically resided at Hôtel Mon Repos. Its beautiful hotel to stay. Just within reach of the city bus and train and a bit quiet.  

I don't intend to delve into the details of my trip but just to let you know that I had travelled to learn. 

Learning never ends! I got to learn for example about the right to privacy. I got to interact with people who use and inject drugs. And as long as they used the drugs by themselves, who are you to question them ? They use these drugs by choice and they don't harm or influence anybody. So let them be. I leant that. 

But most importantly, I learnt that presidents if nations retire and live in freedom. In such deep freedom that one one knows a lot about them. so one of the former presidents of Switzerland came to my class and offered a lecture. Ruth Dreifuss came to class, simple with no escorts and smiled. she hugged some of the participants easily and answered our questions. 

I rode back home aboard the blue KLM Royal Dutch airlines. 

At Entebbe Airport, the place is still decorated by mobile telecom company details.  

Today morning, I met a good man with his wife.

Today started like any other day.

I have been to Hoima town various times and I very much enjoy the cool air of the town during the night. whenever I am around Hoima town, I reside at a place manned by Catholic Sisters. It is a wonderful place. But that is the story for another day.

The purpose of my trip was to participate in a charity walk which was organised by Little Hospice Hoima .

Let me first let you know that staff at Hospice Africa Uganda did a great job to organise this walk. They pulled the crowds. They mobilised people from all walks of life. They indeed worked out the Phrase: Palliative Care is everyone's business. They made the phrase actionable. The walk was attended by religious leaders, children, business men and women, students from high institutions of learning, members of the Palliative Care Association of Uganda, and many more categories of people. The chief walker was His Grace Stanley Ntagali,

But let me go straight to the purpose of my writing. I met a good man and his wife at the walk. The man was the Chief Guest at the function. He came in humbly and simply just on time before the walking started. This man is a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. He is now a Presidential Adviser. He is a Phd with life long experience of 40 years in civil service.

I am talking about Dr Kabagambe Kaliisa. He was invited late to to be chief guest at an important function. to raise funds to care for the dying and suffering. He obliged to a two months notice. he mobilized his friends from near and far. He talked to many. He reached out. He went back to his former work places and spoke to all including support staff.http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-27789108

Yes he did, some contributed UGX 5000 and he respectfully tagged the amount in a special envelope, wrote name and contacts of one that contributed and put it separate from the rest. He therefore curried about 100 envelopes, each with the name, contacts and amount of one that contributed. Some contributed as individuals while others were organisations. So the envelopes he held and read out had the notables and the least. But not the least in spirit because look, they have less but have the hearts to give. So among the envelopes he held, The Attorney General, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Minister of Energy and many others were among.  

Now, let me tell you why I call him a good man. He was very detailed. He greeted nearly everyone at function with a smile, he walked all through with the crowd, he respectfully received, curried in his bag and read out the names of all that gave him a contribution to bring. He respectfully sat at the function until the last speaker. To say the least, he was warm and welcoming, I approached him, had a pleasant greeting, asked for his business card and he noted it was fine to drop him an email. I bet this man may not even remember who I said I was by now but the impact was great.

There is something unique about senior citizens in our country. Some of these men are so experienced, principled, full of authority yet professional, warm and simple. They are so detailed.

I keep wondering what my generation is about! Did I tell you it was a charity walk ? I prepared and curried my small contribution but wait, I should have done better! I didnt even think about letting you know before the event that there was a noble cause which you could support!

Lets pray and act. We need to up our game. We sure have mentors to learn from.

But tell me, what is the police running after people in Kampala ?  They are talking about #Agelimit. What is it about ?

Thoughts on My 2nd Trip to Ssese Island

Have you been on a ferry from Entebbe to Kalangala Island ? i mean in the Pearl of Africa. Actually the boarding site in Nakiwogo...the ride is cool. The ferry left at 2pm last weekend. I sat around which guys. Let me we squeezed around. Eight people on small chairs. But it was cool. I travelled with posh girls, those of the city. I enjoyed the stories and the perfume oh hehehe. We prayed. 

Let me tell you something quickly. In Uganda, there are guys (yes I called them guys and I mean men and women) who had their childhood in the city.
So these guys went to kindergarten and top class. Yes in top class they spoke fluent English, they were driven to school, they owned school bags and school shoes. Let me check, I am talking about the period around 1991, 1992, 1993.

So these guys missed playing in the mad and running after chicken in the compound. Run after the thing until you get it to loose its life to a plate. They missed grazing cows and goats and seeing a specific banana plant grow from a tiny thing to a tall tree and then huge hanging banana.

They lacked listening to stories by the very old. Some of those stories one listened to and had night mares. Stories or a very clever rabbit that would attend people's parties.
These guys missed building small house. They missed games of good small portions in tins and playing maama na taata. Let me tell you these guys missed the practical of slaughtering the chicken, the practical of holding a goat to be cut, the practical of tapping gashing blood from a cow’s/bull’s throat after a sharp panga has passed.

These guys missed eating lunch at all homes on the village! They missed sharing food with the village peers! They missed the taste of the not pealed sweet potatoes from different pots. Guys missed riding wooden bicycles.

Let me tell you, these guys missed attending every party in the village! Who told you must be invited to a party to attend ? just show up, have a piece of meat just at the cooking place and run! afterall the whole village knows you would show up!

They missed collecting firewood and fetching water. Oh how we told stories at the well. The guys missed feeling lucky just because a rat crossed a path without hesitation as one approached. They missed asking a funny bird how, when and who they would marry. hmmmm

But get me right, these guys do not necessarily have regrets about what they missed! Its hogwash! It’s villagish! These guys enjoyed video games and sports bikes!

And by the way these guys are in the city forever and some who cam from allover want to stay with them for ever.

But look, I want to go back when I retire. I want to go attend the village meeting. I want to greet and talk to my neighbors daily. I want to the farm, to see bananas grow. I want to breathe fresh air. I want to walk and to drive to church. I want to relax, attend parties and enjoy a hearty laugh with old women.

But wait, is the Age limit debate still on raging on in Uganda? See you soon!

Day of the African Child 2017: Think about children heading homes!

The Day of the African Child (DAC) 2017 will be commemorated on the theme “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for Children in Africa: Accelerating protection, empowerment and equal opportunity”. The Child friendly version is “Accelerating protection, empowerment and equal opportunities for children in Africa by 2030″.

The theme that was put out by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child is very appealing to all that appreciate the problems faced by any child in Africa now.

Like ever before, every African child faces real life challenges. However, orphans and other vulnerable Children (OVC) face hard trials. These children do not only face hardships at home but also find it extremely had to access social services such as health and education. The OVC children therefor leave in harsh conditions, the have great psychosocial needs that go unmet and them also live an attitude of despair and hopelessness. These children include the orphans, those who live on the streets, those that toil under exploitative conditions of labour as well as those that suffer abuses and all forms of discrimination.

Among these categories of children is a special group who are the sole caregivers of the homes. According to the statistics on the website of the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development (OVCMiS), Over 32,130 children between the ages of 10 to 17 head households in Uganda. Such children have the responsibility of fending for their own survival, for their siblings and sometimes for the survival of their very sick or dying guidance or parents. They go through numerous hurdles to survive and to make 'their' families survive. they do hard labour, they sterve, they are sexulally harrased by merciless employers, they are flogged, they are cheated and many other things!

In Uganda, like in the rest of the sub Saharan Africa, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has greatly contributed to the huge numbers of this special group of children. The situation has also been exasperated by the increasing incidence of the numerous Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like cancer. It should also be noted that the design of numerous social economic interventions for the poor do not always mainstream the plight of this special group of children. Such children for example may be forced to drop out of school because they cannot afford the very basic necessities such as clothing let alone simple stationery like books to use at school.

Due to the continuous breakdown of social ties and the extended family system, the problem of high numbers of child headed homes is expected to keep raising. The social safety nets that included close relatives taking on the care of children in case of the passing of parents continue to dwindle yet the disease burden continues to raise.

There is therefore need for all government and civil society actor program interventions to mainstream the child headed homes. Programs such as Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) need to have special focus on this special group. It is important to note that HIV/AIDS programs have integrated care for OVC. It is important that cancer care and other interventions such as palliative care also focus on a holistic approach to integrate care for the needs of the OVC.

Leaving child headed homes behind while designing and implementing health, education and social economic programs only serves to entrench the dire discrimination that these children face. There is need for deliberate call to action in support of child headed homes that have become part and parcel of our society. Integrating the needs of these homes in programing will serve to rebuild the social fabric.