the 14th mission in Uganda

From December 29 to January 28, the 14th mission in Uganda with triple objectif, Pope John XXIII hospital in Aber, Oyam district, north Uganda, owned by the diocese of Lira and the orphanages of Gulu and Ngetta.

Our group was af 5 people:

Alda Pagliano, divided between the orphanages of Gulu and Ngetta; she also organizes and coordinates the group of young people that will have to be financially supported in order to continue their studies.

Tiziana Gioira, instrumental nurse, determinant for the success of the 27 gynecological interventions performed. She also brings a touch of originality to the usual daily rice menu, beans, peas, in itself monotonous.

Alessandra Spatola, biologist, teaches the local the technique of coloring the Pap test for the prevention of tumors of the uterine cervix. Alessandra is also a great cook.

Alberico Gargiulo, anesthesiologist doctor from Pozzuoli,important for operating room work.

The undersigned, benefiting from the support of all the participants, performs a good gynecological activity to prevent tumors and surgical interventions.

From January 25th to February 14th, a second team of doctors took over:

doctor Luigi Allara, gynecologist from Pinerolo, for gynecological health care.

doctor Antonio Lacivita, anatomical pathologist, for the prevention of female tumors.

We verified the presence and functionality of the health material arrived with the container last October:

• particularly successful was the ambulance, already widely used for the recovery of pregnant women from the surrounding villages.

• the LED surgical light, donated by the REMSA company of Carlo Longoni, allowed, finally, to have a clear vision of the operative field, apart from the frequent black outs, reason of apprehension and fear especially in the most delicate moments of the surgery.

• the fully functional operating bed has replaced the existing one, long since blocked by rust.

• the sewing machine has been immediately used.

The environmental conditions of the operating room are such as to stress and exhaust all the operators, and are also a source of infections for patients, with abscess formations of surgical wounds.

The necessity and the indispensability of the construction of a new operating block becomes urgent.

We have made contact with the Ugandan entrepreneurial and political world,obtaining encouragement and guarantees of economic support for a value of about 300/350,000 $.

The Apostolic Nuncio of Kampala, Msgr. Michael Blume, provides the Nunciature for a fund-raising party around October of this year

A munificent Italian lady has declared herself available to support the costs of the party and undertakes to invite the Ugandan President, Museveni, who usually leaves a substantial contribution.

But also a lady from Casalese has already paid a generous contribution to the construction of the operating block.

The Italian ambassador in Kampala has shared our project, guaranteeing his particular interest.

We have planned the start date of the excavation for the month of May, with the laying of the first stone by Msgr. Giuseppe Franzelli, bishop of the diocese of Lira, owner of the Pope John XXIII Hospital in Aber.

A particularly demanding year awaits us, but with the help of everybody we will succeed in achieving the goal of equipping the small Pope John XXIII rural hospital with an efficient and safe surgery block.

Francesco Coggiola Vercelli, febbraio 2018

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