Uganda

Ugandan doctors completing rounds in a patient ward in the Mulago hospital, Kampala, Uganda

The healthcare system in Uganda struggles with high maternal mortality rates and a rise in non-communicable diseases. There is a lack of specialty medical training, a lack of advanced nurse training, and a lack of biomedical engineering support to care for existing and future hospital equipment and systems.

The International Outreach Program partners with four medical schools across the country. We are focused on capacity building via an advanced training program for physicians in collaboration with the McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences.

We work with:

  • Makerere University and Mulago Hospital, Kampala
  • Mbarara University and Mbarara Hospital, Mbarara (in the southwest)
  • Gulu University & Gulu Hospital, Gulu (in the north)
  • Busitema University and Busitema Hospital, Mbale (in the east)
Patient rounds in Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda
Dr. Rebecca Kruisselbrink providing critical care education at the Mulago Hospital
Dr. Rebecca Kruisselbrink receiving award in Mbarara for her contributions to education in that region
Dr. Peter Kagoma receiving award in Mbarara for his contributions to education and the IOP
Dr. Brian Cameron providing surgical training to physicians in Uganda
Dr, Henry Ddungu is one of six hematologists in Uganda- all trained via the IOP

Impact

Medical Students at Gulu University and IOP team members
IOP alumnus like Dr. Andrew Kintu educates future physicians in Mulago
IOP alumnus Charles Ssendikidiwa is now managing a neurological critical care unit in Kamapala
IOP alumnus Dr. Clement Okello, hematology and internal medicine specialist leading rounds on the liquid tumor ward with a McMaster third year resident

Thanks to the generous support of our donors:

  • Clinical outcomes in sub-specialties are improving, particularly in obstetrics, anesthesia, medicine, nephrology and psychiatry
  • 506 months of Physician training has been provided in Canada for 103 Residents and Fellows from Makerere, Gulu and Mbarara Universities, Mulago Hospital (Kampala,)  and Uganda Cancer Institute (Kampala) 
  • Physician training has been provided in the fields of psychiatry, pediatrics, anesthesia, obstetrics and gynecology, nephrology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, geriatrics, gastroenterology, hematology, cardiology, orthopedic surgery, dermatology, respirology, transfusion medicine, neurology, neurosurgery, pathology 
  • 96% graduates from training program remain hard at work in Uganda; more than 2/3 participate in medical education and more than 1/3 are hospital administrators and leaders 
  • Personal Protective equipment has been donated to hospitals in Uganda to support care of Covid patients

Your gift to the International Outreach Program of St. Joseph’s Health System provides life-saving medical training in Uganda and other areas of the world where medical resources are low. Please give generously now.