OUR RURAL COMMUNITY CLINIC

Over 17 years ago, a group of conservation biologists and academics from Canada, the United States, and Uganda established a clinic to help the communities that neighbour Kibale National Park in Uganda, where we work.

Community members in the area receive much-needed services, including:

• basic health care

• medicines (e.g., malaria treatment, electrolytes for diarrhea)

• vaccinations

• counseling

• public talks on sanitation, nutrition, etc.

Last year we treated almost 1800 people at the clinic, made 240 home visits, gave health talks at 22 local schools, and provided deworming medicine to 3500 children. In 2023, we also vaccinated approximately 5000 people for yellow fever, 3000 for polio, and 100 for Ebola. These services clearly improve the lives of many, but we are positioned to do much more for communities nearby Kibale National Park.

The clinic is staffed by a Ugandan nurse with supervision from a Ugandan physician and our support. Nurse Denis and Dr. Patrick Omeja have been with this effort since its inception. Their steadfast commitment made them trusted and respected among the local community and effective in working with regional and national agencies.

KIBALE NATIONAL PARK, WESTERN UGANDA

Helping these local communities improves the relationship between people and the park and thereby protects the park’s biodiversity. Kibale National Park (795 km2) is a spectacular place – home to more than 350 species of trees, 325 species of birds, a number of endangered mammals, and a growing population of elephants. The park has 13 primate species, including the largest population of chimpanzees in East Africa and the only viable population of the ashy red colobus monkeys, and the highest primate biomass ever recorded.

Many rural communities needing health services neighbour Kibale National Park. The human population density within 1 km of the park is 240 people per km2 and is doubling every 20 years. Uganda’s population is growing and disproportionately young. In 2022, 45% of the population was under 15 years of age.

THIS YEAR’S GOAL

This year, in addition to keeping our clinic open to provide the health services, we are poised to help with Uganda’s nation-wide vaccination campaigns.

Preventative healthcare through vaccinations have made huge advances recently, and Uganda is seeking further gains. Uganda pledged to eliminate yellow fever by 2026 and administered 13.3 million vaccinations last year alone. Although Uganda was declared free of polio in 2006, it resurfaced in 2021. The government responded quickly and vaccinated 9.3 million children in 2023. There is now a safe and effective vaccine for malaria, and it is now available in Uganda. These are great achievements. A key challenge for the government, however, is overcoming difficulties delivering vaccinations to remote areas.

This is where our clinic and medical staff can make a real difference. For example, during the Covid pandemic, Nurse Denis was pivotal in providing vaccinations to communities around Kibale. He also was central in the roll out of the Ebola vaccine. Building on such experiences and connections with the Ministry of Health, we can help ensure that vaccination campaigns reach rural communities.

OUR ASK

We need $27,000 Canadian to provide health services to the local people by keeping our clinic doors open and to help with our efforts to expand critical vaccinations to the rural communities living near Kibale. These funds will cover our nurse’s salary, basic running costs, and transport to remote villages.

Thank you for any help you can give - every contribution goes a long way in Uganda.

Please see our video for more details, along with images of the people and wildlife of Kibale. We are also happy to tell you more about our story!

Colin Chapman

Professor Vancouver Island University