Voluntourism & Eco-Adventure

Interested in learning about tropical medicine, HIV counseling or maternity care?

What's being accomplished
Though public health care is available in Uganda, not all communities have health centers. The public health centers and clinics that exist are sometimes woefully under-equipped and under-staffed. The mission of the Hope Medical Clinics (HMC) is to improve the health care of under-served communities. Presently, HMC has two clinics in Kasubi and Ndejie, maternal health hospital in Kawempe and welcomes volunteers to support its mission.

How you can help
Both medically and non-medically trained volunteers may support community health centers and hospitals; specific duties depend on skills and qualifications. HMC has many volunteer opportunities and is willing to customize your experience to enable you to share your individual skill set and compassion with the community. All volunteers will be exposed to both public and private hospitals to achieve an understanding of the challenges facing Uganda’s health sector.

Examples of duties include:

• Medical (prenatal and postnatal care; pediatrics; tropical disease diagnosis and treatment; orthopedics; surgical)
• Public health (immunization, HIV counseling and testing, breastfeeding, family planning; community health education)
• Outreach (community outreach, clinic promotion, and health unit mobilization)
• Development (grant writing/policy issues)
• Physical support (grounds keeping, landscaping, hospital maintenance)

Health volunteers will live and immerse themselves in the communities in which they serve, especially for rural placements. This is to provide volunteers with a more holistic appreciation of the people they serve, and the complex economic, cultural, and social factors that shape their health needs. Whatever services are rendered, volunteers will work in partnership with the community. HMC expects volunteers to remember they are not simply helping but rather serving the community as equals, with a goal to improve health care for under-served communities.

Who: English speaking volunteers 18 years & over, medical students, nurses, health professionals, doctors. HMC is open to individuals and groups.

For more information, please contact Joanne Trangle.