Day 4: Uganda "Aerobics" Style

June 10: Today was my dad's last day in Mbarara, so we had to make the most of it by visiting a few people. We first met with the Academic Dean of MUST and learned about the physical boundary constraints that the university has recently had trouble with: there are so many students and young adults who wish to apply, but there is not enough space nor resources to supply new buildings. Most of the doctors at the hospital in Mbarara attended the university, and it is important that the university continues to produce people who are willing to stay in Mbarara (not venture off to a more alluring town or country) and work at the hospital.
      After the meeting with the dean, I met with the Head of Pediatrics to discuss my project and the conditions of the pediatric facilities. There are currently around three to five nurses for fifty to seventy children, and at night time, all of the mothers and caretakers sleep on the floors and hallways of the wards, making passing through the ward impossible. The hospital is wanting to build a low-cost hostel, which would provide accommodations for the extra family members.

The CAMTech Team (Plus Dad and Me)

      When the meeting was over, Dad and I went over to the CAMTech (Consortium for Affordable Medical Technologies). CAMTech is a program that my dad helped to set up in Mbarara, and it now has spread to numerous countries. The goal of CAMTech is to create innovative medical technologies that are low cost, but address some of the most pressing issues in peripheral, as well as in core, hospitals. It was so inspiring to see the work that was being done by these young Mbararans. Functional and reliable CPAPs (continuous positive airway pressure) are being created out of tupperware, water, a pump, and tubes. This life-saving device costs anywhere from 3,000 to 30,000 U.S. dollars (the machine is now made by Ferrari, but is irreparable once broken), but the one that CAMTech is creating only costs 10. Other designs include AIR, which is one of CAMTech's integral and defining projects that will eliminate many of the deaths that happen in the first minutes of premature babies' lives. Leading hospitals in the U.S. have shown interest in this product, which will hopefully be distributed world- wide. CAMTech has also created its own sort of hack-a-thon, which is for low cost medical innovations. People from all over Uganda participate in the Mbarara hack-a-thon, and the medical hack-a-thons in Boston and India attract companies and individuals from all around the globe.
       The supplies arrived this afternoon for the therapy program, so I spent awhile sorting through the fun music and art materials. We are definitely not lacking anything and are stocked up!

Some of the Supplies for the Therapy Program

      After bidding my farewells to Dad (it was such a help for him to take me here...thanks, Dad!), I went with Natalie and James and the expats to a Ugandan aerobics class. Let me tell you, Ugandan aerobics takes "aerobics" to the next level. The moment I saw the instructor (whose triceps were nearly the size of my head and whose abs were visible through the t-shirt), I knew I was in store for a long hour of working out. I have never laughed nor sweat so profusely; I was so off beat, my legs were everywhere, and I was struggling for breath the entire time. It was such a fun little culture thing to do, and I definitely plan on doing it again.
      For dinner, we ate at Lord's Bar, which has two things on the menu: "Goat and Chipati" or "Chicken and Chipati." Although the restaurant has the best goat-in-town, I had to stick with my chicken; however, I did try a bite of goat, and I must say, it was quite tasty.