Uganda – SOS Medical and Social Centres

In Uganda there are currently three Social Centres and two Medical Centres for children and the local community, in Kakiri, Entebbe and Gulu.  Many SOS Social Centres operate via Family Strengthening Programmes, which aim to support the wider community.  Medical Centres provide treatments and services to the wider community.  Below is some information about some of the Centres that SOS Children runs in Uganda:

SOS Medical Centres around Uganda: In-Depth

Kakiri

Description of SOS Medical Centre:

The SOS Medical Centre consists of seven treatment rooms, a laboratory and various side rooms. Approximately 50 to 60 patients from the SOS facilities and its neighborhood receive medical treatment there on a daily basis.

Work and Achievements:

The Medical Centre has caused a remarkable impact in the lives all beneficiaries within the Children’s Village, Family Strengthening Program (FSP) and the surrounding community through many activities carried out. This was made possible because of continuous support through the allocated budget for 2009 and other support in form of medicine and HIV testing kits sourced from the Government of Uganda and other partners like Uganda Health Marketing Group (U.H.M.G), Mild-May Centre, and Joint Clinical Research Cooperation (J. C.R.C.)

In the course of the year a total of about 8000 new cases were registered at the medical centre for out patient services and these are some of the many activities carried out; free Voluntary Counselling and Testing (V.C.T) and free Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis to all HIV positive clients after screening, immunization plus regular de-worming of children both at the centre and during outreaches, antenatal care to pregnant mothers, family planning to all clients putting at check unplanned bearing of children leading to alarming situations like child neglect.

Gulu

Description of SOS Medical Centre:

About 50-80 patients receive medical treatment per day at the SOS Medical Centre Gulu which was opened in June 2002. It comprises two treatment rooms and one laboratory. Priority is given to preventive medical services, health education and counselling and immunization programmes.

SOS Social Centres around Uganda: In-Depth

Gulu

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

The SOS Social Centre was opened in June 2002. It comprises a meeting room, an office and a tent which accommodates the day care centre. At the moment 50 children from single mothers and natural mothers are taken care of. The SOS Social Centre provides support with regard to health care, nutrition and education. In addition, about 200 children receive psychological assistance on a regular basis. The SOS Social Centre also helps and supports natural mothers and youths who have no parents in finding income generating activities.

Work and Achievements:

This year, FSP Gulu continued to operate in the four divisions of Gulu municipality, namely Pece, Laroo, Bardege and Layibi. The programme supported 411 children; 190 female and 221 male and 122 adults (83 female and 39 male). A total of 146 children were supported in school; 6 in kindergarten, 124 in primary school and 10 in secondary schools.

Entebbe

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

The SOS Social Centre was opened in June 2002. It comprises a meeting room, an office and a tent which accommodates the day care centre. At the moment 50 children from single mothers and natural mothers are taken care of. The SOS Social Centre provides support with regard to health care, nutrition and education. In addition, about 200 children receive psychological assistance on a regular basis. The SOS Social Centre also helps and supports natural mothers and youths who have no parents in finding income generating activities.

Work and Achievements:

The Family strengthening programme at Entebbe has been operational for the last two years in two parishes with 200 children from 61 households. This year the Programme has continued to implement a number of interventions aimed at improving the lives of the children within the supported households. We continue to focus on income generating activities as a way of ensuring economic stability and independence of the families. So far 17 individual income generating activities (IGAs) are operational i.e Piggery, fish vending, selling second hand clothes and 3 group IGAs are operational i.e vegetable growing, crafts & ground nuts packing. All the care givers belong to one or two IGAs. They have had a share of their efforts through the proceeds from the sale of the craft items, vegetables and the ground nut paste.

Kakiri

Description of SOS Social Centre/FSP:

The SOS Social Centre Kakiri was opened in March 2006. It offers a range of social services which mainly focus on the special needs of destitute children (including medical care, financial support, education) but also on securing the income of families to enable them to take care and protect their children in the best possible way (including counseling in education, etc.). At the moment, 600 children and their caretakers are supported through this program.