Ourganda Partnership with Project CURE
One of Ourganda’s long-term goals is to assure that medical care is available to every person in the Bundibugyo District in far western Uganda. With 300,000 people living in over 600 villages, is that possible?
Absolutely! | While we continue to deploy mobile medical clinics into forgotten villages, we will multiply our impact by partnering with Project CURE (projectcure.org) to assist hospitals and clinics that are already functioning. Not one of them has the equipment, medications, and supplies that they need, but this partnership will change that.
What is Project Cure?
– Project CURE (PC) collects medical equipment and supplies from hospitals and medical companies and ships them to developing countries around the world. Every year, their donations are valued at $80-90 million.
– PC works with any organization that provides medical care in any developing country.
– A typical container costs $25,000 to ship but contains $400,000 worth of equipment and supplies.
– Only a portion of the equipment and supplies will be used directly by Ourganda in our mobile clinics, but Ourganda will serve as the organizing entity for this initiative.
Where Will Ourganda Start?
– First, the Bundibugyo Hospital. With 160 beds, this is the largest health-care facility in the district. Their medical superintendent and physicians have already expressed their enthusiastic support for this initiative, so we will start there.
– Second, we will work with small clinics in villages where people have no other options. Our team will identify clinics that are (a) geographically positioned to save and extend lives, and (b) equipped and willing to meet our medical and accountability standards.
– Third, any district hospital or clinic that meets our high standards of professional competency and accountability.
What Impact Can We Expect?
The impact is truly immeasurable, but imagine a farmer whose wound can be treated at his local clinic with antibiotic ointment and an adhesive bandage or a pregnant mom who can see her baby for the very first time on the screen of an ultrasound machine!
What Does Ourganda Need To Do?
– Step one is to arrange for a field assessment. We pay $4,000 and Project CURE sends one of their agents to Bundibugyo to make sure everything is ready.
– Next, Ourganda collaborates with the hospital and clinics in Uganda and with Project CURE to decide exactly what supplies are needed. We pay $25,000 to ship the container from a warehouse in the U.S. to Uganda plus approximately $4,000 in customs fees.
– Ourganda will hire one full-time project manager to oversee the Ourganda – Project CURE partnership at an annual cost of $3,000. The prevailing wage in Uganda is about $250 a month.
