East Africa Medical Camp (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania)

March/April 2024

“Na karmana na prajaya dhanena tyage naike amrutatva manasuhu” (Not by action, not by progeny, not by wealth; but by sacrifice alone can man attain immortality)

‘This camp is one the best things I have done in my life. I learned so much from the patients as well as my fellow doctors and volunteers. Patients would wait from as early as 3:30 am to be seen. They were so humble and would dress in their best clothes to come see the doctors. They came with great hopes that we could treat them and their children. We did the best we could and pray to Swami to take care of the rest. I pray to Swami to continue to give us opportunities to serve him.’…. Medical Camp International Health Professional volunteer.

64 international health professionals and volunteers carried out widescale medical camps on consecutive days across 3 East African countries (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) over 8 days in 6 locations from 31st March to 9th April 2024. The Camps commenced on Easter Sunday 31st March 2024 in Kampala, Uganda with final camp finishing in Mwanga, Tanzania on 9th April 2024. The Team was joined by several local volunteers and helpers including several local health professionals and trainee Doctors in different locations.

A total of 5,596 patients were seen with more than 12,000 consultations as each patient not uncommonly had multiple ailments and needed treatment by different medical departments - refer below stats:

The mission involved multidisciplinary teams from Internal and Family medicine (within Internal medicine subspecialities included Cardiology, Neurology, Anesthetics and Gastroenterology), Paediatrics ,Surgery, Gynecology, Ophthalmology & Optometry, Physiotherapy & Rehab medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Lab technologists, professional registration teams and highly experienced general volunteers dealing with crowd control and patient flow logistics.

A total of 5,596 patients were registered and treated with diverse ailments unique to different regions although majority of diseases were reflective of usual developing country constraints of socioeconomic deprivation that directly or indirectly contributes to illness. The actual number of consultations would be understated as majority of patients were seen and treated by at least 2 to 3 different specialties at each camp venue. A more accurate number of consultation therefore would be closer to ~12,000.

Diagnostic facilities were akin to a mobile secondary care hospital including Blood testing for sugar, anemia, renal function, malaria, urine tests, Visual acuity testing, in depth opthalmologic evaluation, ECG, Echocardiogram, Ultrasound, Endoscopy and Gyanecological evaluation for cervical cancer. In addition, reading glasses were dispensed after proper evaluation, minor surgical treatments given where possible, physiotherapy treatment and physical aids were handed out (such as walking sticks, elbow crutches etc), dental extractions and filling were carried out throughout the camps.

Free medications worth thousands of dollars were dispensed via our Pharmacists and Doctors. Treatments included dispensation of free medications for acute illness in addition to providing a decent supply of chronic care medications to supplement patients where drug prices are expensive and leads to noncompliance in treatment of diseases like Diabetes and Hypertension.

Our Health professionals worked with local medical students, nurses and doctors who learnt from our experienced clinical nurse specialists and specialist Doctors.