Making a Change to People’s Lives
By Dr. Mary Namubiru
Kampala, Uganda
February 26, 2008

Mary Namubiru (left) with Dr. Justine Mirembe from USAID Uganda at the opening of the new MCH unit at Mbarara University Teaching Hospital.

My best experience working with the Foundation happened on Tuesday, January 14, at the opening ceremony of the new Maternal and Child Health (MCH) unit extension at Mbarara University Teaching Hospital in Uganda.

The MCH extension is part of a two-story complex that was built with support from the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other partners of the hospital. This event was particularly exciting for me because I attended the Mbarara University Teaching Hospital as a medical student.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Fredrick Kayanya, was chief guest at the ceremony, which was also attended by heads of departments, staff members from both the hospital and the university, and representatives from the development partners. USAID Uganda was also represented.

It was an exciting moment for me, representing the Foundation, to be sitting together with my former university lecturer, Vice Chancellor Kayanya! The vice chancellor was very happy seeing his former students coming together to support developments at their former institution.

Among his former students present that day, in addition to myself, were Dr. Agnes Kobusingye, also a technical advisor with the Foundation, and Dr. Medard Bitekyerezo, a physician at the hospital who played the role of master of ceremonies that day. The vice chancellor shook his head in amazement as he observed the prominent role of his alumni on this occasion. It was such a wonderful day.

The MCH unit extension at Mbarara University Teaching Hospital.

The new MCH unit, to which the Foundation contributed, provides more room for mothers receiving prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and other reproductive health services. In this new building, there is enough room for mothers and their family members to receive comprehensive HIV/AIDS care, and HIV-exposed infants can be identified.

Before this new structure was built, the former MCH department was extremely small and the antenatal, postnatal, and immunization services were all being offered within a limited space. Each set of clients would sit on benches facing in opposite directions, with different midwives conducting sessions at the same time, often leading to confusion and inefficiency.

With this new structure, all these problems have become history!

I feel a lot of joy and happiness knowing that working with the Foundation put me in a position to improve the quality of services offered at my former institution and alma mater.

I am Mary Namubiru and I work with the Foundation as technical manager of the south-west region in Uganda. I have been with the Foundation for three years. I enjoy my work with the Foundation, especially given the fact that it allows me to change people’s lives for the better.