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Clinical Officer, Kedi Samuel. -
Laboratory Technician, Denis Bongoyinge, prepares a blood sample for a STI test. -
RHU staff take the opportunity for a quick breakfast before the start of a busy day. -
Assistant Service Provider, Christopher Okurut. -
Nancy Lakica, 19, is a valued volunteer of the RHU team. -
Manager, Anicia Filder, with Monica Akello after Monica tests negative for Hepatitis B. -
RHU staff prepare and load the equipment ready for the mobile clinic in Atega village. -
Gertrude Atikuru, RHU staff nurse, at the mobile clinic.
Our staff never turn anyone away
At the end of a long day, Anicia, closes the clinic with praise for her colleagues who never turn anyone away.
"We open at 8am. From 8am we will be receiving a variety of clients for different services - whether post-abortion care, whether antenatal care - we have to give them all the services.
We may end up to 10pm, because we'll never chase our clients, we'll never close the place when we have a client inside.
People come when they have no hope.
You receive them, and you give them hope by treating them properly and giving them quality services.
The client gets better and will never forget you.
And follow them up on the phone. "How are you doing?" It's good for us to know that they're doing well.
Others even tell us 'The way you handle us, we love it so much'.";
Follow a day in the life of our team and clients in Gulu, Uganda
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7am: The team prepare for the long day ahead
"Every year tens of thousands of Ugandans come to our clinic. Everyone is welcome. Here are just a few of the people that we served in one day last month."
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8am: Nancy, 19, becomes a volunteer
"I was suffering but when I came here, I was treated and I got better. Now I'm inspired to volunteer here"
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9am: Monica, 25, a sex worker's story
"I am sex working. I came here for Hepatitis B testing and also counselling. I have so many personal problems, but here….they’re so caring."
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10am: Jane, 23, saved by family planning
"After multiple miscarriages, family planning here has helped me a lot. I'm glad we've been able to space the number of children we've had. I am not growing old, I am fresh."
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11am: Vicky, handling disabilities
"I'm deaf so accessing services is hard, but here they really try to speak in sign language."
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12pm: Dorcus, first time patient
"This is the first time I've ever come here, I like the service. They give good counselling so I recommend coming."
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1pm: Christine, 45, a grandmother's tale of living with HIV
"I am living with HIV and had HPV. They treated me and now I'm free of cervical cancer."
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2pm: Lilian, struggling mother of six with sickle cell
" I have sickle cell disease and so do all my children. I want to have my tube removed so that I don't get pregnant again but I don't know if my husband will allow it."
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3pm: Brenda and Francis get fertility treatments
"Fertility treatment is a sensitive issue in Uganda but they help us a lot and we get proper treatment."
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4pm: Joyce, 25, repected regardless of her disability
"I realised that at this place they don't segregate. Us people with disabilities have challenges at the main hospitals. You go there, people around look at you as if you are not a human being and you don't fall sick."
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5pm: Mobile clinic provides outreach services to remote villages
"Our outreach to remote communities is a 'one-stop-centre'. We give family planning, vaccines for HPV, malaria, and Hepatitis B, HIV testing and more."
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22pm: Still giving the last client our very best
"Together, we have great teamwork. Sometimes we're still working up to 10pm because we never chase out our clients. We’ll never close the place when we have a client inside. People come when they have no hope."
