About MMH Foundation

Mayanja Memorial Hospital Foundation is an NGO wing of Mayanja Memorial Hospital , which was formed after realizing that there was need to offer voluntary or social services to people or communities that do not easily access health services. It started operating officially in 2002.

Mission

To provide community Health Outreach services in order to improve equity, accessibility, efficiency, quality and sustainable health for all.

Objectives

• Promote safe motherhood through referral of mothers to health units for antenatal, intranatal and postnatal care and provision of family planning services.
• Intensify the prevention and control of the HIV/AIDS epidemic through increased community sensitization and mobilization, including behavioral change communication regarding sexuality, marriage and cultural practices.
• Control the spread of HIV/AIDS through HCT and PMTCT and improve the quality of Health of PHAs and their family.
• Provide Care and Support to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs).

Core Values

• Compassionate
• Integrity
• Accountability
• Responsibility

Management

The NGO has a total of 20 full time Staff. In collaboration with the Hospital Administration the NGO also uses part of the Skilled Labor of the Hospital under which Physicians, Laboratory Technologists and Public Health Experts help to provide Care to the Clients and Technical Support.

Areas served by the Foundation

Currently, the MMH Foundation operates in 17 districts of South Western and Central Uganda and these include; Mbarara, Kirihura, Isingiro, Kabale, Ntungamo, Bushenyi, Kisoro, Rukungiri,Kanungu, Ibanda, Lyantonde, Sheema, Rubirizi, Bushenyi, Nsika, Rakai and Mipoma districts.

Challenges

• Follow up of HIV Positive Clients is not yet very effective.
• Need for ARV Work up for HIV positive clients at Mayanja Memorial Hospital at a subsidized costs
• We hire Vehicle which has always been expensive.
• Support to identified Orphans in terms of education and income generating activities/projects
• Stock outs and limited supply of Test kits.
• It was assumed that the HCT testing sites at health centers in the communities would have health workers trained in counseling so that this would help to boost the number of counselors' budget for the project. This was not true.
• The project area where HCT and abstinence programs are being carried out so very far and the roads are bad, for example it takes an average of 4 hours for a return journey and these sub-counties chosen are far from each other.
• The number counseled is much higher than those tested, because not all those who are counseled/referred by community volunteer counselors, go to the areas where they are referred.
• Inability to support posttest clubs and also follow-up of HIV positive clients in communities for further PSS.
• The demand for STI services i.e. syphilis test both in communities and schools.

Impacts on the Communities

Mayanja Memorial Hospital Foundation felt it created a great impact in the community due to the factors below:

• It has managed to deliver services to remote and far reaching areas, which have helped the residents, access the HCT services that would have taken ages to reach them.
• The fact that some groups such as Ngarama drama club has managed to have all it's members join after testing ( both negative and positive), clearly shows the rate at which people are responding to the knowledge acquired from our sensitization programs and the services offered. This has encouraged other community members to get tested and seek further advice.
• In addition to the above, stigma has greatly reduced and people have realized the importance of HCT hence the increasing demand for the services.
• A large number of community members have been empowered with knowledge and skills to offer support especially psychosocial and referral to their fellow community members.
• Those who are not yet married have promised to abstain and the already married ones committed them selves to faithfulness after realizing the dangers ahead, if they do not fulfill that.
• Mothers and their husbands have realized and appreciated the importance of PMTCT; though very few have been able to reach areas where the services are offered.
• Referral services have helped community members acquire knowledge on what to do if positive and where to access the services. A few community members who can afford to meet the transport costs have visited TASO, Mbarara University Teaching Hospital and Mayanja Memorial Hospital.
• Community members' involvement in drama performances has enlightened them and helped them sustain their families.
• There has been interdependence between different implementing CSOs and local government in service provision, which has helped us fill the missing gaps hence enabling community members to easily access the services they deserve.
• Students have received counseling from their patrons, counseling and guidance teachers in addition to peer educators. Of recent we got reports from a few schools that the students' behavior has changed because early pregnancies have greatly reduced.
• Students have gained confidence and more knowledge on abstinence and responsible sexuality, through inter and intra school debates.
• Different schools have exchanged visits and ideas through interaction in coordinating these activities, which has helped them, strengthen their relationships and learn from each other.
• Some students have signed abstinence commitment cards, which we believe will help them stick to their agreement and abstain.

Way Forward / Future Plans

• Follow up of our Clients.
• Need to improve on OVC Support.
• Home Based Care.
• Scale up to more Districts.