Kristina Acuma Achon Medical Clinic Project Proposal Achon Uganda Children's Fund April, 2011
Kristina Acuma Achon Medical Clinic Project Proposal Achon Uganda Children's Fund April, 2011
April, 2011
Executive Summary
From 1987-2006, the people of northern Uganda were caught in a war between their
government's military and rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army. The LRA survived throughout
this conflict by kidnapping an estimated 66,000 children and forcing them to become child
soldiers. At its height, this bloody civil war displaced nearly 90% of the region’s population (1.8
million people) and lead to northern Uganda being called the world’s worst neglected
humanitarian crisis. Although the LRA largely withdrew from the area in 2005-2006, the
process of rebuilding northern Uganda has been a slow and arduous one. The poorest region in
one of Africa's poorest countries, northern Uganda faces a lack of food and safe water, poor
infrastructure and inadequate access to healthcare and education. These factors affect rural areas
disproportionately: indicators of health, including mortality rates and prevalence of disease are
significantly worse in rural villages.
Awake is one such rural village in northern Uganda. Residents here must travel over 5 km for
even the most basic medical care. For the 22,000 residents in surrounding Orum County, the
closest Regional Hospital is in Lira, some 65 km away along challenging roads. As such, people
in this region suffer daily, and in some cases, die needlessly because they do not have access to
routine, preventive health care or emergency medical attention.
One former resident of Awake Village, Julius Achon, knows firsthand the suffering caused by
Uganda's civil war and the harsh realities of trying to survive in its aftermath. Julius was
kidnapped by the LRA as a boy, yet was able to escape and, miraculously, went on to become a
celebrated Ugandan runner and two-time Olympic athlete. Over the past six years Julius has
dedicated his life to aiding the people of his home village.
Achon Uganda Children's Fund (AUCF) was officially incorporated in 2007 by Julius Achon and
a board of directors in response to the dire situation faced by the residents of northern Uganda.
AUCF has a strong track record of fundraising through private donors, and has utilized those
funds to provide shelter, food, clothing, education, healthcare and guidance to a group of 31
orphaned children from Awake Village. In addition, AUCF has built a church for the community
and provided food relief in times of famine. In 2009, AUCF received IRS 501(c)(3) designation
and established a partnership with Love Mercy Uganda, an Australian organization dedicated to
the same vision and goals as Julius Achon.
AUCF has undertaken a project to construct the Kristina Acuma Achon Medical Clinic, a non-
profit, non-sectarian healthcare facility in Awake which represents the first level of interface
between the formal health sector and the community. It will be staffed by medical professionals
to provide affordable, basic care to treat and triage the sick and injured.
The clinic will be comprised of a main building with six diagnosis/treatment beds, a diagnostic
laboratory, a supply storage room, and a covered veranda serving as a waiting area. A second
building will contain separate living quarters for the permanent medical staff and traveling
volunteers.
Within three months of opening, we expect to see and serve 40-50 patients per day from Orum
County and other areas of the surrounding Otuke District. During visits from healthcare
professionals who are able to perform specialized services, we expect to serve 60 - 100 patients
per day from this region.
The budget to build and equip the clinic is approximately $125,250. The budget to operate the
clinic for the first three years is approximately $57,600. These funds will be comprised of cash
contributions and in-kind donations of equipment and infrastructure by partner organizations.
AUCF has already established partnerships with other local and international organizations such
as Crown Renewable Energy, Engeye Clinic, Lifewater International, Medical Teams
International, Nike, Ugandan Ministry of Health and Welch Allyn, Inc.
We expect to open the clinic by January 1, 2012. AUCF will fund the clinic's operation for the
first three years, after which our goal is for it to become financially self-sustaining.
Statement of Need
The approximately 22,000 residents of Orum County in northern Uganda live 50 to 80 km from
the nearest hospital, Lira Regional Referral Hospital. This facility is government-run, and as
such, provides medical treatment free of charge to a population in excess of 2 million. However,
because it is the primary medical facility for several districts (and the only one consistently
staffed by doctors), it is chronically over-crowded, under-staffed and lacking in sufficient
inventories of medication. Its aging buildings and equipment are inadequate to meet the needs of
the patients filling the floors and outdoor areas awaiting attention.
There are several government-run and private medical clinics in Orum County and the
surrounding Otuke District, however, they too are often unable to provide the care that is needed
for the district’s 84,000 residents. A recent survey of facilities between Lira and Awake village
finds the following:
• Orum Health Center IV (5.2 km NW of Awake) is the primary level IV clinic in Otuke
District, and refers critical patients to Lira Hospital. Run by the government and augmented
by a partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and Children’s Hospital, Orum HC IV
provides inpatient and outpatient care, HIV/AIDS testing, counseling and prevention of
mother-to-child transmission, maternal and child health, TB screening and immunization.
Like other government clinics, it is plagued by under-funding, over-crowding, insufficient
staff, nonfunctional equipment and lack of sufficient medications. Of note, in November,
2010, the clinic had been without a medical doctor for several weeks due to illness, and his
return date is uncertain.
As a result, the vast majority of Orum residents are required to travel many kilometers to reach
medical care of any kind, often find those facilities unstaffed and lacking in medications, and
cannot afford or access the infrequent motorized transportation to Lira for the health care offered
there. As such, every day, people in this region suffer and sometimes die simply because lack
access to basic preventive care, medicine and emergency medical attention.
Although the Ugandan Ministry of Health (MOH) has set forth goals related to reducing
maternal and child mortality, fertility, malnutrition, the burden of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis,
malaria and the disparities in healthcare within the country, these efforts do not seem to have
reached the most needy - namely residents of rural villages in the north of the country. These
residents routinely suffer from communicable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and
HIV/AIDS, go without vaccinations, give birth without medical care, and lack education
concerning hygiene, sanitation and family planning.
Of particular note is the disease burden posed by inadequate sanitation. From the Uganda MOH
Health Sector Strategic Plan II:
"Over 75% of Uganda’s disease burden is considered to be preventable as it is
primarily caused by poor personal and domestic hygiene and inadequate sanitation
practices (failure to break the faecal-oral disease transmission routes). This vicious
cycle that affects most Ugandans can be reversed, as has already been proven in
several other countries, through a well-integrated and coordinated deployment of
existing resources.”
Again, however, this deployment of resources does not seem to have reached rural northern
Uganda. According to the Lira Ministry of Health Office Director, John Nelson Opio, “Otuke
District realizes severe sanitation problems with 17% of the population practicing basic
sanitation versus 62% in Lira. There is a need to focus on prevention and education as well as
provide treatment. Health is made at home.”
Due to the lack of sufficient healthcare facilities in rural areas and the high vacancy rate of
medical staff in existing facilities, the Ministry of Health highlights the need to augment the
existing healthcare system in rural Uganda in its Health Sector Strategic Plan III 2010-2015. The
The Kristina Acuma Achon Medical Clinic will augment the current healthcare delivery system
in northern Uganda by providing access to basic, affordable healthcare to a currently under-
served area.
Project Description
The Kristina Acuma Achon Medical Clinic, named in honor of Julius Achon's mother who was
killed by the LRA in 2004, will be a non-profit, non-sectarian healthcare facility in the village of
Awake, Orum County, Otuke District, Uganda. The clinic will be designated a Health Centre II
facility as defined by the Uganda Ministry of Health, representing the first level of interface
between the formal health sector and the community. The clinic will provide primary medical
care including triage and appropriate treatment, disease testing, inoculation, medication
dispensing and education. Maternity services will be added in a second phase with the date yet to
be determined.
Achon Uganda Children’s Fund will finance and manage the clinic’s creation, and will employ
local Ugandans to do as much of the on-site work as possible, including construction and
administration. At completion, it will be staffed by local medical personnel, augmented by
visiting medical professionals from the US and Australia and managed by an on-site Clinic
Manager who will report to the AUCF Board. Initially, its operations will be funded by a
combination of AUCF payments and nominal patient payments, with the goal of self-sufficiency
within three years.
1. The first objective is to build, furnish, and staff a fully-functional medical clinic in the
village of Awake, Otuke District by January 1, 2012.
2. The second objective is to treat, triage or refer every patient who comes to the clinic, and
to keep appropriate records of each patient visit. By the end of the first year of operation,
we will have a record of every patient that attended the clinic, with the following
information: patient name, age, village, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, payment and
recommended follow-up.
3. The third objective is to have the clinic operate self-sufficiently by the end of its third
year of operation. At this point in time, KAAMC will operate independently of AUCF
funding and oversight; it will be managed by local Ugandans and supported financially
through a combination of nominal patient payments and a related income-generating
project developed in concert with Love Mercy Uganda based in Sydney, Australia.
Methods
Clinic Description
The clinic will be furnished with a water collection system to harvest rainwater, and a bore-hole
well will be drilled on the premises to augment water needs during the dry season. Solar panels
will be installed to provide electricity sufficient to power a generator, lights, medical equipment
and a refrigerator to store medications and a high-temperature incinerator will be installed on the
premises to dispose of medical waste. Please see Appendix for Clinic Site Plan and Drawings.
The clinic will initially be open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. The following staff
will manage its daily operations:
• Medical Director will be responsible for medical oversight, finalizing diagnostic and
treatment protocols, licensing, treating higher-acuity patients and nursing supervision. This
physician or clinical officer will be involved in setting up the clinic operations, and will
work part-time in the clinic once it is open.
• Enrolled Comprehensive Nurse will be responsible for patient diagnosis, triage, treatment
and record-keeping. The nurse will work at the clinic full-time and will be provided living
quarters on-site. We are assessing the ability to hire a back up nurse position for emergency
situations.
• Clinic Manager will be responsible for site management, financial management, ordering of
supplies and materials, supervision of caretaker and regular reporting to the AUCF board.
The clinic manager will work at the clinic full-time and will be provided living quarters on-
site.
• HIV / AIDs Counselor will be responsible for administering HIV/AIDs tests, counseling and
referring patients for treatment, and providing general education concerning HIV/AIDS.
• Pharmacist will be responsible for tracking and preparing medications and vaccines, as well
as patient record-keeping.
• Caretaker will be responsible for cleaning the clinic and dormitory, laundry and cooking for
the medical staff and visiting volunteers.
Note: AUCF board members have met with medical officials in Lira (Lira Ministry of Health)
and have been assured that if paid an appropriate salary and provided housing (see above) that
filling these positions is readily achievable; there are medical professionals without work in the
Lira region today.
Clinic Services
The clinic will be a fully-functional Uganda Healthcare Level II facility providing basic triage,
diagnostic and treatment services for the most common health issues facing rural Ugandans.
Data from Engeye Clinic which treats a similar demographic indicate that the following
diagnoses are the most common: Malaria, Respiratory Tract Infection, GERD / Dyspepsia /
Peptic Ulcer Disease, Hypertension, Gastroenteritis / Diarrhea, Urinary Tract Infection, Sexually
Transmitted Infections / Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Allergy, Type II Diabetes, injury / trauma
and maternity. Kristina Clinic staff will be trained and prepared to treat these and similar
conditions (exception maternity which will occur at a later date).
Medicines, purchased monthly at the Joint Medical Store in Kampala, will include the following
as an initial inventory (based upon Engeye Clinic recommendation):
Vaccine Schedule
BCG Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine birth
Diphtheria and tetanus toxoid with
DTwPHibHep whole cell pertussis, Hib and HepB 6, 10, 14 weeks
vaccine
HPV Human Papillomavirus vaccine 10-12 years; +4 weeks; +5 months; Part of country
Measles Measles vaccine 9 months
OPV Oral polio vaccine birth; 6, 10, 14 weeks
TT Tetanus toxoid 15-49 years; +4, +6 weeks; +1, +1 year
6 months; 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 years
VitaminA Vitamin A supplementation
Lifewater International and their in-country partners have been facilitating access to clean, safe
water and educating populations in communities around the world in a participatory, culturally-
appropriate way for over 25 years. They have had tremendous success in northern Uganda
bringing WASH to the youth through soccer and to large communities through health workers,
teachers and church workers.
HIV / AIDS
Kristina Clinic intends to partner with Aids Healthcare Foundation via its Uganda branch
Uganda Cares (UC) to provide HIV testing, counseling and referral for treatment. Uganda Cares
is one of Uganda's largest providers of AIDS treatment and its program has been identified by the
World Health Organization and UNAIDS as a best practice model for antiretroviral therapy
(ART).
Based upon the UC and Engeye model, Kristina Clinic would receive free, unlimited HIV
diagnostic kits (finger-stick test) from Uganda Cares. In order to qualify, Kristina must employ a
registered counselor and have a higher-level healthcare facility to refer to for treatment. The
intent is to partner with the Soroti Uganda Cares location which is the closest to Kristina Clinic.
Dental Care
Dental care will be provided only when a dentist visits the clinic. Our goal is to arrange for a US
or Australia-based dentist to visit the clinic two times per year in order to provide basic services.
Project Timeline
June 2010: Purchase land
An 80 meter by 60 meter parcel of land has been purchased in Awake village to build KAAMC.
The parcel of land is located centrally within the Awake community, and within walking distance
of other community infrastructure including the trading center, church and school. A bore hole
well was installed by Care International, located directly adjacent to the clinic site, in August
2008.
Partnerships/ Suppliers
AUCF has begun forming partnerships with other non-profits, NGOs and local businesses for the
purpose of gaining expertise, sharing methods and resources, and soliciting in-kind donations.
• Engeye Clinic has been our primary model during the planning phase of the Kristina Clinic
project. Founders Dr. Stephanie Van Dyke and John Kalule have provided extensive
mentorship and guidance in planning the clinic, including its business model, physical
attributes and diagnosis / treatment protocols. Founded in 2006 near Masaka, Uganda,
Engeye Clinic sees approximately 15,000 patients per year in addition to operating a
scholarship program for local children. It is a mature, successful organization that is
operating with similar goals in within a similar demographic to that of the Kristina Clinic.
• Lifewater International and AUCF have entered into an agreement whereby Lifewater will
build a deep borehole well on the clinic property and provide WASH education for the
medical staff and community leaders. Lifewater International and their in-country partners
The following represents the staff that will administer the development of Kristina Clinic and
provide oversight during its daily operations:
• Construction Project Manager will be responsible for the overall clinic construction co-
ordination, oversight of construction personnel and materials and regular communication to
the AUCF board.
• Achon Uganda Children's Fund Board of Directors will be responsible for fundraising,
financial governance, stateside coordination & communication with local Construction
Project Manager, hiring of clinical and administrative staff and implementing their contracts,
organizing volunteer involvement and protocols, establishing partnerships with other NGOs
and governmental organizations, and working with medical staff to establish diagnosis and
treatment protocols. Once the clinic is running, AUCF Board will provide general
oversight, and will be responsible for reporting and project outcomes.
Evaluation
After each year of operation, AUCF Board will collect and examine the patient records generated
during that year. An annual report will be generated which details the number of patients seen by
geographic area, age, gender, diagnosis and treatment. Recommendations will be made regarding
changes to treatment, additional development projects, etc, based on the community's needs and
our ability to meet those needs. The Annual Report will be disseminated to funding agencies,
private donor and supporters as well as partner agencies.
Objective 3: Self-Sufficiency
At the end of the third year of operation, an audit will be performed by the AUCF Board to
determine if Kristina Clinic is meeting its objective of operating independently of AUCF
funding and oversight. The Board will assess if any requests for additional funding or for
administrative intervention are being made to AUCF. The Board will perform an audit of the
Clinic's financials, including expenses, patient payments and profits from the joint development
project with Love Mercy Foundation. A report on this audit will be disseminated to funding
agency, private donors and supporters.
Sustainability
Each patient will be charged a nominal charge per visit consistent with the charges established at
Engeye Clinic. This nominal fee will be requested primarily to ensure that the patient values the
service being provided, and increases the likelihood of the patient following the recommended
treatment course. However, these fees will also be useful in defraying a portion of the clinic's
operating expenses. As stated below in the Budget section, it is estimated that it will require
approximately $1,500 per month to keep the Clinic operating. While this payment will initially
be made by AUCF through private donations and grant funding, our goal is that it will, within
three years, be financed through patient charges and a development project undertaken with Love
Mercy Foundation.
Over the past three years, Achon Uganda Children's Fund and its sister organization Love Mercy
Uganda have raised approximately $100,000 to construct a church and latrine in Awake village,
provide financial support to 31 orphaned children for a period of three years, and begin to save
for the medical clinic project. We expect to raise an additional $110,850 through donations,
Solar power for clinic and dormitory $8000 Crown Renewable Energy
High temperature incinerator $4000 T4T Africa
Bore hole well $10000 Donated by Lifewater Int'l
Clinic and dorm furnishings $3000 Beds, cabinets, tables, chairs, linens
Diagnostic Laboratory Equipment $5000
EKG, patient monitor, BP, Oph/Oto/temp, supplies –
Medical equipment and disposables $5000 purchased from or donated by Medical Teams Int'l,
Welch Allyn and other partners
Medications $5000 Initial inventory of medicines and vaccines
Misc. travel, lodging, vehicle rental to
$7000
complete construction
To be employed full-time at $500/month through the
Clinic Construction Manager Salary $4000 planning and construction phase, estimated at 8
months.
Total Construction / Startup Expenses $125250 In-kind donations are expected to total $25,000
Organization Information
Achon Uganda Children's Fund (AUCF) was officially incorporated in 2007 in Oregon by Julius
Achon and a board of directors in response to the dire situation faced by the residents of northern
Uganda. AUCF has a strong track record of fundraising through private donors, and has utilized
those funds to provide shelter, food, clothing, education, healthcare and guidance to a group of
22 orphaned children from Awake Village. In addition, AUCF has built a church for the
community and provided food relief in times of famine. In 2009, AUCF received IRS 501(c)(3)
designation and established a partnership with Love Mercy Uganda, an Australian based
organization united through the vision and goals of Julius Achon.
The mission of the Achon Uganda Children's Fund is to improve quality of life in rural northern
Uganda through access to health care and education, improvements to infrastructure and means
of self-sufficiency. Each development project undertaken as a partnership between AUCF and
native Ugandans will transition to a state of self-sustainability and independence from outside
assistance.
Achon Uganda Children's Fund has demonstrated the capability to effectively complete the
Kristina Acuma Achon Clinic project. Our personal connection to the area and its residents and
our intention to use local labor and materials affords us a significant level of local support.
Julius Achon was born and raised in Awake Village, where his father and stepmother reside and
where the clinic will be established. Julius is a well-known figure in northern Uganda both as an
athlete and humanitarian and maintains a close connection with the people of Awake and Otuke
District through regular visits and financial assistance. Julius' brother Jimmy, who will assist in
overseeing the clinic construction, has served effectively in a similar position when he managed
the construction of the Lira home for the orphan children. Jimmy today manages the orphan
facility and its finances. Julius’ father Charles is a leader in the Awake community, lives next to
the clinic site, and 84,000 will act as a liaison between the village and clinic construction team.
The AUCF Board of Directors brings substantial experience in the medical device industry,
strong project management, and a broad network of medical industry executives and healthcare
professionals to provide both financial support and medical expertise.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the members of Achon Uganda Children's Fund are dedicated to its mission to
improve quality of life in rural Northern Uganda through access to health care and education,
Living Quarters
Latrine