Day 10: Monday, Jinja: Antenatal & Engineers

We decided we should split up our team if we were to have an overview of all the levels of health centers within our short stay in Jinja. Teja and Kim Hwang returned to Jinja while Leanne and Pav went to Iganga.

We arrived at Jinja hospital first. Leanne and Pav had another 45 minutes journey before they would arrive at Iganga district hospital. We first proceeded to Susan, the head nurse’s office as we wanted to debrief her on our observations and feedback as she had requested. We also wanted to have her referral to the antenatal clinic and the procurement office.

The antenatal clinic was a squarish building with two rows of benches in the middle and several examination rooms that line each side. The office sits in front of the rows of benches where mothers would sit. On the right, a table is setup outside the windows of an examination room. Mothers stack their A5 book with doctor’s notes on the table as they come in. Nursing students go through the books one-by-one, calling up the patients and begin triaging them.

Sister Silvia welcomed us into the antenatal ward and introduced us to her assistants. She explained to us what was about to happen for the day and showed us into the different examination rooms. Monday was a doctor's clinic at the antenatal ward. This means that on top of the normal antenatal services offered to mothers, mothers who have other complications and want a second look by doctors would come in on Mondays. On other days, only nurses and midwives would be present to give mothers normal examinations.