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The Agatha Foundation Gilgal Medi Care (AFGMC)

Rural Health Services
The Chronic Poverty Research Centre- Uganda indicates that almost 20% of Ugandans have been locked in chronic poverty. According the report chronic poverty traps individuals and households in severe and multi-dimensional poverty for several years and is often transmitted across generations. 

Poverty in Uganda is defined as a situation of perpetual need for the daily necessities of life like food, shelter and clothing and also as a feeling of powerlessness to influence the things which are around you.  According to United Nations Uganda is one of the least developed countries and a Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC). Poverty in Uganda is characterized by widening income inequality.

According to Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2006 the Gini index that measures income inequality the index was 0.36 in 1992 but to 0.41 in 2006. This trend indicates that many Ugandans were better off in 2002 than 2006.

The poverty situation in Uganda is exacerbated by inadequate medical services in Uganda. The worst hit includes the rural areas in Uganda. Health services in Uganda in rural areas are either non-existent and exist people walk long distances to access a health facility.

In addition in areas where health facilities have been established the centers are under equipped and sometimes lack drugs and other medical supplies. This situation is further aggravated by pandemic diseases such as malaria and HIV-Aids.

According to records malaria is among the leading causes of deaths in Uganda composing.   Africa Fighting Malaria (AFM) 2006 reported that malaria in health centres record over 90 % of the clinical cases. In addition, Dave Hibbard, M.D. and Chris Hibbard, PhD 2006 estimated that there are 3 millions deaths per year from malaria.

Most of the deaths occur in SSA and the majorities are defenseless infants and children under the age of 5 years and malaria is now killing far more children than AIDS. Dr. Myers Lugemwa 2006 at a symposium noted that malaria remains one of the most serious global health problems and a leading cause for childhood morbidity and mortality killing over 320 people in Uganda daily.  The malaria crisis affects rural areas most since health facilities are either inadequate or non-existent.

Uganda is also faced with the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic which has claimed many able bodied lives while leaving many orphans. According to John Ricks Kayizzi (The Monitor News Paper Kampala November 14, 2001) HIV/AIDS is one of the biggest threats to the survival and prosperity of the human race in the 21st century. 

Though HIV/AIDS is reported to be on the decline in Uganda, the trend is on the increase among the married, elite and slum dwellers. Indeed it is reported thousands of Ugandans contract HIV every year and is still claiming tens of thousands of lives each year. Such a severe epidemic has a considerable social and economic impact. According the Centre for Global International and Regional Studies 2006 HIV and AIDS usually kills the young, it depletes a country's labour force, and weakens educational and health services.

The report notes the AIDS scourge disproportionately affects Women and Girls in Africa for example in Africa for every 15-19-year-old boy that is infected; there are five to six girls infected in the same age group. Also of the Africa's 28.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS, 15.5 million (or 55%) are women, constituting 88% of the world's women with HIV/AIDS. In Uganda like any other SSA countries, women are the most affected by HIV/AIDS.