Stories

With three children to raise on her own, Liljana’s health was the last thing on her mind but she could no longer ignore the feeling that something was wrong. Through speaking to her friends, she learnt about the  Albanian Centre of Population and Development (ACDP) clinic. “First, I had the gynaecological visit and after that, for 1 minute, the doctor did the VIA test. The response was immediate, but positive. I was so scared. The doctor was able to calm me down by explaining everything very simply. Everything was going to be all right because this disease was 100% curable.” Liljana underwent treatment for pre-cancerous lesions for two weeks, but the results of the test were still positive. The doctor suggested cryotherapy. “I decided to do cryotherapy, which is very simple and very comfortable. It was the best decision I have made in my life. After two years, I am completely recovered. I am very grateful to the ACDP clinic, they saved my life.” What is VIA & Cryotherapy? Show more + Visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) is a process of screening and examining the cervix. Pre-cancerous lesions on the cervix will turn white when the acid is applied.  This simple procedure can be done in a clinic setting without the use of a laboratory and allows for immediate treatment of any pre-cancerous lesions with cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is a gynaecological treatment that freezes and destroys abnormal, pre-cancerous cervical cells. Cryotherapy is not a treatment for cervical cancer. VIA has the potential to revolutionize cervical cancer prevention efforts, particularly in low resource settings, because it eliminates the need for laboratories, transportation of specimens and provides immediate test results.   VIA needs less equipment and fewer specialists than traditional cervical cancer screening methods like Pap tests. Results from VIA are available immediately so women can be screened and treated in one single visit.  A happier & healthier life Now Liljana is having routine checks following the advice of the doctor and maintains regular contact with the clinic. “I know that whenever I need advice, I can call the doctor or the nurse and always get a response.” Liljana told all her friends about the VIA procedure and recommended many of them to the clinic in Tirana. Since her successful treatment, Liljana has noticed the relationship with her children has also improved. “My 15 years daughter says that now I smile more than before. She has noticed that before the test I was sad, because I was thinking bad things about my life. This experience has helped me also to talk openly with my daughter about the reproductive and sexual life and teach her to take care of herself. The other two are boys, 13 and 10 years old, but I promise I will talk to them about the importance of having a healthy reproductive and sexual life.”

Eleanor* is a mother of three children, she lives in Vlora, a city in south Albania. Eleanor and her children rely on her husband's modest income to survive. She is only too aware that her economic situation is a major barrier for her to access healthcare. Most treatments are referred to the capital, Tirana, or are at private clinics; incurring costs she simply cannot afford. When she heard about the Aulona Centre offering free PAP tests, she booked an appointment. “I have always admired women who take care of their health. Taking care of ourselves is decisive for our family wellbeing, children and relatives. But in our areas, it is difficult to get proper services, especially for reproductive health”, she says. Eleanor’s first pap smear was in 2012, the results came back negative. The doctor informed her that she had to come back in 3 years for another test.  In 2015 she returned to the center, convinced that the results would again be negative. The results came back positive. “I remember the doctor underlining my name with red pen. She said to go to Tirana for further treatment because they had better equipment and staff there.” The encouragement from the staff of Aulona center helped Eleanor decide on her next steps.  “While making my decision, I had this vision of my name underlined with red colour, which was an alert sign. So I contacted a doctor in Tirana and had the surgery in 2016. Nowadays I feel much better and I am clean from signs of cancer.” From a client to an activist  Her experience with Aulona center has made Eleanor an ardent activist of reproductive health for women. “Every cousin in my family knows about my case. I encourage them to have a PAP screening although they don’t have any concern. For some of them is a matter of shame, because they think if you don’t have any problem, why you should expose intimate parts of your body to the doctor? I challenge them asking what it is more difficult: when the doctor says: Madam, you have few years to live left or just booking a visit? They listen to me more now because they see I recovered.” Through her activism, Eleanor has recently become aware of the VIA testing method and is enthusiastic about it. “The most wonderful thing about this new method [VIA] is that I don’t have to wait 3 weeks for the response. I recall the waiting period for the second test with my eyes attached to the telephone screen. Why are they not calling? Is there anything wrong with my results? VIA avoid all this anxiety, and you can start the therapy immediately.”   Eleanor feels confident about her knowledge on sexual and reproductive health. Her own experiences allows her speak more openly with her 20-year-old old daughter, reminding her of the importance of regular screening. “The disease does not ask if you are rich or poor. I could have let myself at risk, but when interventions are at the right time, they save lives.” What is VIA & Cryotherapy? Show more + Visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) is a process of screening and examining the cervix. Pre-cancerous lesions on the cervix will turn white when the acid is applied.  This simple procedure can be done in a clinic setting without the use of a laboratory and allows for immediate treatment of any pre-cancerous lesions with cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is a gynaecological treatment that freezes and destroys abnormal, pre-cancerous cervical cells. Cryotherapy is not a treatment for cervical cancer. VIA has the potential to revolutionize cervical cancer prevention efforts, particularly in low resource settings, because it eliminates the need for laboratories, transportation of specimens and provides immediate test results.   VIA needs less equipment and fewer specialists than traditional cervical cancer screening methods like Pap tests. Results from VIA are available immediately so women can be screened and treated in one single visit.  *Name has been changed

Scrolling through her social media page, 21-year-old Artemisa Seraj stumbled across a post from the Aulona Center offering seminars and workshops on sexual and reproductive healthcare for young people and students. Feeling like she had the opportunity to learn something about a subject that she and her friends rarely discuss, she decided to attend one of the seminars. “I found the information very interesting because we don’t talk very much about these things with my friends. It is still a taboo. On the other hand, we know that the sexually transmitted infections are being spread among youngsters, but we don’t know how to protect ourselves.” The first seminar went so well, Artemisa decided that she wanted to become a volunteer. “I like very much to pass the information on to others. So, I discussed with the Enela, the director of the center, to become a volunteer and here I am today.” Empowering women & girls Since becoming an activist Artemisa is now even more passionate about the importance of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) for young people, gender equality and women’s rights. “I have known many other girls and women in our outreach activities that have no information about their reproductive and sexual life. Especially, girls from rural areas are the most deprived of this kind of information. The health centers have no staff or adequate equipment for gynaecological visits. Aulona center has high standards of friendly services for teenagers and youngsters, so you feel safe and not prejudiced against. Confidentiality is very high here and the doctors are very qualified. In the young groups, you feel like a community, you can speak openly about your concerns.”  Artemisa hopes that by distributing information to women and girls, it is empowering them as well giving them an opportunity to fight for their own rights. “I do think that even a single person can contribute to the improvement of the situation regarding CSE. It is an instinct now, whenever I meet a woman, I talk about the center.  My greatest satisfaction as an activist is seeing them coming to the center for a [health] visit or for counselling, because this means that my work has paid off. I do this work because I believe every girl and woman’s life counts.”

Hatixhe Gorenca is a nurse at the Albanian Centre of Population and Development (ACPD) clinic in Tirana. She joined the center in 2013 with 39 years of experience working in gynaecology. During her time as a nurse, she has seen vast improvements in access and services for cervical cancer screenings. However, she says that there is a considerable number of women in rural areas that face difficulties in accessing healthcare, and some that cannot access it at all. Rural women & access “The ACPD clinic is crucial for these [rural] women, because the healthcare we offer through gynaecological visits, includes counselling, pap smears, colposcopies and recently VIA tests and cryotherapy. Services that are totally missing in their areas. What they appreciate most is the mobile clinic in the outskirts of Tirana, because they have an opportunity to meet with doctors and to get information about their health status. We do approximately 17-18 visits per day and the number is always increasing”, Hatixhe says.  The clinic has developed a reputation for offering youth-friendly healthcare and information. The confidential and open approach of the clinic is providing access for girls to comprehensive sexual education at an early age, without fear of discrimination or embarrassment. When the clinic first introduced VIA testing in 2017, as an alternative way for the screening of cervical cancer, it was welcomed by the women. “The reason is that compared to pap smears, VIA gives an immediate response on the health of the cervical cells,”  Hatixhe explains. “The other reason is economical. Many of the women we work with have no health insurance, as such they cannot benefit from the free tests at maternity hospitals. Furthermore, some of them are vulnerable women and they feel safe when they can get free information and healthcare at our clinic.” What is VIA & Cryotherapy? Show more + Visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) is a process of screening and examining the cervix. Pre-cancerous lesions on the cervix will turn white when the acid is applied.  This simple procedure can be done in a clinic setting without the use of a laboratory and allows for immediate treatment of any pre-cancerous lesions with cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is a gynaecological treatment that freezes and destroys abnormal, pre-cancerous cervical cells. Cryotherapy is not a treatment for cervical cancer. VIA has the potential to revolutionize cervical cancer prevention efforts, particularly in low resource settings, because it eliminates the need for laboratories, transportation of specimens and provides immediate test results.   VIA needs less equipment and fewer specialists than traditional cervical cancer screening methods like Pap smears. Results from VIA are available immediately so women can be screened and treated in one single visit.    ACDP outreach activities enable the staff to give the information where the women are: in the streets, in their workplace, in their homes. Hatixhe has witnessed a growing interest in women regarding their reproductive health in recent years. The number of women that walk through the clinic doors is proof of that. During the 2016-2017 over 3,000 women received healthcare services from the clinic.  Encouraging other women  “I myself am learning a lot in the clinic”, Hatixhe says. “VIA test was a new technique even for me, but it is so simple, I can now train the staff at the health centers. I can tell you that they are very enthusiastic and responsive because VIA is very easy to apply. Since many health centers have no gynaecological bed for their visits or low capacities to apply PAP tests which require specialized personnel, VIA is much more suitable for their conditions, because it can be done by the nurses or midwifes themselves.” Hatixhe is impressed by the reaction of women taking VIA tests. “As a nurse with long experience in the health sector, I have received many thanks from patients, but the hugs we get from these women are heartfelt. After 2-3 years of coming and going to different institutions, finally, they have found a method which can detect pre-cancer cells, get treatment for it and now they are totally healthy.”  Hatixhe says that many women have been encouraged to book a VIA test through hearing about it from a friend or relative who had a positive experience at the clinic. “After the first visit, the women return with other women who are interested to do the tests. This is wonderful.” 

Gertrude Mugala is a teacher in Fort Portal, a town in Western Uganda. While Gertrude considered herself fairly knowledgeable about cancer, she had never considered taking a screening test or imagined herself ever having the disease. Then one day, she heard an announcement on the radio urging women to go for cervical cancer screenings at a Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) clinic.  “The radio presenter was talking about cervical cancer, and in her message she encouraged all women to get screened. I decided to go and try it out,” she said. Gertrude made her way to RHU's Fort Portal Branch clinic for the free cervical cancer screening. There, she met Ms. Irene Kugonza, an RHU service provider. Ms. Kugonza educated Gertrude and a group of other women about cervical cancer and the importance of routine screening. Gertrude received a type of cervical cancer screening called VIA (visual inspection with acetic acid). "I did not know what was happening" But Gertrude's results were not what she expected; she received a positive result. The good news, however, is that precancerous lesions can be treated if detected early. “I was so shaken when I was told I had pre-cancerous lesions. I did not know what was happening and I didn't believe what I was hearing. I had no idea of my health status. I thought I was healthy, but I was actually harbouring a potential killer disease in me. What would have happened if I didn't go for the screening? If I hadn't heard the radio announcement?” Gertrude was then referred for cryotherapy.  “Following cryotherapy, I am now in the process of healing, and I am supposed to go back for review after three months,” said Gertrude. Community screenings Today, Gertrude advocates for cervical cancer screening in her community. She talks to women about cancer, especially cervical cancer, at her workplace, at the market, in meetings, and any other opportunity she gets.  “I decided to let women know that cervical cancer is real and it is here with us, and that it kills. At the moment, those are the platforms I have, and I will continue educating women about cancer and encourage them to go for routine testing. I am also happy that I was near my radio that day, where I heard that announcement encouraging all women to get tested for cervical cancer. It might be because of that radio announcement that I am here today,” she said.

The Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF) which is hosted by IPPF was set up in 2006 in order to support grass-roots organisations to increase access to safe abortion. One such organisation which received support under the last round of funding is called Lady Mermaid's Bureau. I am Pretty Lynn, aged 25. I am a sex worker but I went to university. I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Tourism in 2013. But now, during the day I’m sleeping and during the night I’m working. That is how my day goes every day. I got into sex work through friends. Okay it is not good but I am earning.  I tried to get a job when I graduated. I have been applying since I graduated in 2013. I’m still applying but I’m not getting anywhere. You know to get jobs in Uganda; you have to know someone there and no one knows me there. To be a sex worker is like a curse. People look at you like, I don’t know, as someone that has no use in society. People look at you in a bad way. They even don’t consider why you are selling. They just see you as the worst thing that can happen in the society. So it is not comfortable, it is really hard but we try and survive. The fact sex working is illegal means you have to hide yourself when you are selling so that police cannot take you. And then you get diseases, men don’t want to pay. When the police come and take us, sometimes they even use us and don’t pay. So it is really hard. They want a free service. Like if they come and take you and pay that would be fair. But they say it is illegal to sell yourself. But they still use you yet they are saying it is illegal. You can’t report the police because there is no evidence.  Abortion and unwanted pregnancies are really common because men don’t want to use condoms and female condoms are really rare and they are expensive. Though at times we get female condoms from Lady Marmaid’s Bureau (LMB) because there are so many of us they can’t keep on giving you them all the time. At times when we get pregnant we use local methods. You can go and use local herbs but it is not safe. One time I used local herbs and I was successful. Then the other time I used Omo washing powder and tea leaves but it was really hard for me. I almost died. I had a friend who died last year from this. But the good thing is that LMB taught us about safe abortion. I have had a safe abortion too. There are some tabs they are called Miso (misoprostol). It costs about fifty thousand shillings (£10 pounds or $20.) It is a lot of money. But if I’m working and I know I’m pregnant, I can say, "this week I’m working for my safe abortion". So if I’m working for twenty thousand, by the end of the week I will have the money. It is expensive compared to Omo at five hundred shillings but that is risky. So if I say I will work this whole week for Miso (misoprostol) it is better. But I'm working and I'm not eating. A project like this one from Lady Mermaid's can help young girls and women. But to take us from sex work, it would really be hard. They would not have enough money to cater for all of us. So what they have to do is to teach us how to protect ourselves, how to defend ourselves. Safe abortion yes. They will just have to sensitise us more about our lives, protection, female condoms and all that. I don't have a boyfriend but maybe when I get money and leave this job I will. But for now, no man would like a woman who sells. No man will bear the wife selling herself. And that will happen only if I get funds, settle somewhere else and become responsible woman. I don’t want this job. I don’t want to be in this business of sex work all the time. I want be married, with my children happily, not selling myself. Stories Read more stories about the amazing success of SAAF in Uganda

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 07:00 08:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 22:00 Prev Next 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." READ MORE 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" READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 11am: Vicky, handling disabilities "I'm deaf so accessing services is hard, but here they really try to speak in sign language." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE

Every Thursday a team from RHU Gulu district provides a mobile outreach clinic in Atega village in the Omoro district in Northern Uganda. The outreach team goes out into this poor, remote area which would otherwise not have access to sexual and reproductive health services. The night before the outreach clinic RHU driver, Robert Nyeko and Godfrey Bedimot load up tents, chairs, medical equipment and supplies. The clinic needs to be set up and by 7am ready to receive clients from 8am. The outreach clinic provides a range of services including diagnosis, testing and treatment, family planning such as fitting implants, providing condoms and HPV vaccines. Laboratory technician, Denis Bongonyinge carries out testing for malaria, Hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, pneumonia and other infections. Other members of the team provide immunisations and vaccinations. Typically men, women and children start arriving at the clinic by 7:30am. Two volunteers are on hand to direct them to the appropriate place to get the services they need. Some clients need a range of services. At 8am service provider, Anicia Filda, popularly known a 'Mama' in the community is ready with her team to start the day. There are now more than 200 clients waiting to be seen; with more people arriving to join the long queues. The longest queue is for the immunisation and vaccination services. The majority have come for either the Hepatitis B vaccine, which is a big threat in this community. Priority is given to the many young girls lining up for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine. Denis Bongonyinge takes blood samples for rapid tests for malaria, HIV, HPV and a range of other infections. Each client carries an exercise book where Denis records their results which is then taken to the staff giving out prescriptions. 32-year-Robert Otim pushes his bicycle to the outreach clinic. The single father has ridden 10 kilometres with his two young children. He lost his wife to Hepatitis B when their daughter was just six months. His four-year-old son was born prematurely and is now disabled. He has come today for his last Hepatitis B immunisation. His children need to be vaccinated as well as treated for malaria and coughs. Looking at the long queue, he says he doubts whether he will get the service today but he is lucky as one of the team who once treated his son, Geoffrey, notices Robert and they are given priority for treatment and prescriptions. Already by midday, one of the teams delivering minor surgeries, postnatal services, family planning and post abortion care have seen 47 mothers. This is almost the same as the number of clients they would treat at the Gulu Clinic during a normal day. Anicia Filda sends the driver to collect more supplies from the clinic; the stock is starting to run low because demand is so high There is no break for the team. Samuel Kedi, the only clinician at the outreach camp stands up, and picks up a bottle of water from his backpack for a quick drink before continuing with the next client. The clinic continues to see clients well into the evening. The outreach clinic is scheduled to finish by 5pm but Anicia says there is not one day they have closed on time: “We cannot close when clients are still lining up. It’s the same at the clinic in Gulu,” she says. As the clinic draws to a close for the day, the teams complete their report which records details of the numbers clients served, the types of services delivered and supplies of stock. It has been another busy but successful day for Anicia and her team. Provision of integrated services in such remote areas is vital for the local community; many men, women and children would not be able to receive the types of treatment and care that RHU works diligently to provide. Follow a day in the life of our team and clients in Gulu, Uganda 07:00 08:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 22:00 Prev Next 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." READ MORE 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" READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 11am: Vicky, handling disabilities "I'm deaf so accessing services is hard, but here they really try to speak in sign language." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE

Joyce Auma, 25, is a business administration graduate currently working as a data clerk with Gulu Women with Disabilities Union.  The union has partnered with Reproductive Health Uganda to extend sexual and reproductive health services to women living with disabilities in Gulu and neighbouring districts in Acholi. Joyce, who lost the use of her legs in childhood, is one of the women with disabilities that normally receive services at Gulu Clinic. “I found out about RHU because they are our partners at Gulu Women with Disability Union. I first came to the clinic to test for HIV and other STIs. We also receive their other services like family planning and cancer screening to people with disabilities.” “The first time I came here I was warmly welcomed. They're very good at talking to the youth. Though the place was new for me, I was given service as if it was not my first time.” Says Joyce. "Us people with disabilities have challenges at the main hospitals. People around look at you as if you are not a human being and you don’t fall sick.” Joyce has since been a regular client of RHU for HIV testing, cancer screening and other diseases. She says her status exposes her to many risks of infection which has to be regularly checked for. “I always come here for testing, there is also cancer screening. They don’t segregate me because of my disability. They give you the services you need.”  Follow a day in the life of our team and clients in Gulu, Uganda 07:00 08:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 22:00 Prev Next 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." READ MORE 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" READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 11am: Vicky, handling disabilities "I'm deaf so accessing services is hard, but here they really try to speak in sign language." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE

After two years of struggling to conceive Brenda Abalo and her husband, Francis Opio, decided to visit Reproductive Health Uganda's clinic in Gulu. Much as there is progressive attitude to modern medicine in this northern Uganda region, fertility treatment remains a sensitive issue for both men and women. Anxious in the waiting room, Francis said he had decided to come to RHU with his wife because he heard their radio show about a similar problem. In addition to fertility treatments, the couple was also given counselling and treatment for another condition. “After sex, my wife was in pain. She was complaining a lot three weeks ago. I also felt some itches. They have given us treatment which we are still continuing with,” said Francis. The couple was given information to ensure that Brenda was in the best possible health to conceive. She is to undergo treatment to reduce the prolactin level in the blood and correct the hormonal imbalance. “This is not my first time at this clinic," says Brenda. “The service here is better in comparison with other health centres. They give much better attention to the patient.” “RHU has been supporting a lot of people. They helped a friend of mine; she was having a problem with miscarriage. So she came here and got properly treated” Follow a day in the life of our team and clients in Gulu, Uganda 07:00 08:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 22:00 Prev Next 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." READ MORE 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" READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 11am: Vicky, handling disabilities "I'm deaf so accessing services is hard, but here they really try to speak in sign language." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE 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." READ MORE