This is the 4th urology camp with the same team, Professor Thomas Gasser and Dr Patrick Maurer and the cooperation of Dr Dieter Braun, the anaesthetist from Germany. We were accompanied by Tim, a 21-year-old aspiring reporter, whose role is to film patient care and urological procedures at Bwindi. The aim is to demonstrate, through a comparison with an identical situation in Switzerland, also filmed, that it is possible to treat patients in much more difficult conditions and rudimentary equipment. The film will be shown in June.

54 patients came for screening and consultation.

Balaam does an ultrasound to evaluate the prostate

34 underwent surgery, including endoscopic prostatectomy, open prostatectomy, endoscopic internal urethrotomy, urethroplasty, cystoscopy… Balaam operated by himself a hypospadias (opening of the urethra at the underside of the penis instead of at its tip) in a 15-year-old teenager, neglected by his parents. The cost of the procedure as well as his hospitalization will be covered by Africomed.

The great joy is that the two local surgeons are able to perform most of the operations practically on their own, including endoscopic prostate resections, which these camps are designed to teach: Balaam has another 6 months of training in Tanzania, which we sponsored. Daniel has benefited from last year’s training and has continued with the procedures. The former shares his experience with the latter!

Bosco from Kisoro has joined the team to learn

A young surgeon from the small town of Kisoro (45 km but a 4-hour drive!) has joined the camp: Bosco works in a hospital where he is taught laparoscopic surgery, but is not familiar with endoscopic prostate surgery. A collaboration with medical exchanges between the Bwindi and Kisoro hospitals is planned for the next camp.

The rounds were very well organized thanks to David, whom we are sponsoring for a bachelor’s degree in nursing. No complications!

David is the chief nurse and responsible for the running of the camp

But there were other events too:
Dr Maurer gave a lesson on the prostate and the treatment of hyperplasia and cancer.

Dr Maurer makes his presentation about prostatic surgery...

Microscopes

The team brought along 4 Olympus microscopes donated by the Muttenz gymnasium (Basel-Landschaft) for the laboratory and nursing school…the other microscopes donated were given to two Swiss associations: Action-Madagascar and KAF (Congo).

A new generator for the endoscopic surgery towers was also donated…as one of the two on site was faulty…it is being taken back to Switzerland for repair (thanks Dr Maurer!).

After so many years of hospital visits, it was high time to witness what is known as an outreach: a hospital team comprising nurses and midwives sets off several times a week to visit patients who are unable to come to the hospital. Here, the aim is to make a summary diagnosis, even if it means suggesting a visit to the hospital, providing follow-up care and distributing medication. This session lasted all day, in a church near the town of Kihihi (1 hour’s drive), and more than 35 patients were waiting for us!

I helped complete the patients’ files and Tim cut out the pill plates, as the number of tablets distributed is counted, usually for a month. No waste!

The stay ended with a debriefing session attended by all those involved, including the new director, Charlotte Aguti, to assess the results of the camp and, above all, to offer some positive criticism.

Debriefing session with Daniel Izimba and the executive director Charlotte Aguti

Solar panels

Finally, what’s happened to the solar panels? With the exception of a faulty circuit-breaker, which took a long time to be replaced at the hospital in December, they’re working! There are still a few minor adjustments to be made to avoid minor power cuts. The hospital consumes a lot of electricity, and rules for reducing consumption are slowly being put in place: it’s up to everyone to play the game! All that remains now is to ensure maintenance of the solar system after the warranty period, which ends in June! Tenders are being invited…
and I’ve just received the monthly report for January from the electrician, albeit with an all-African delay!

SUMMARY
Source	kWh or Lt	Cost $	Cost UGX

Solar Panel	4647 kWh	323,62 USD	1 187 610,00 UGX
Hydro (Dam)	9559 kWh	218,98 USD	803 610,00 UGX
National Grid	0 kWh	0,00 USD	0,00 UGX
Total	14206 kWh	542,61 USD	1 991 220,00 UGX
Diesel BCH	65 L	95,65 USD	351 000,00 UGX
Diesel UNSB	100 L	147,15 USD	540 000,00 UGX

User		Consumed Energy kWh	Income UGX/kWh	Income $

BCH		9094 kWh	4 340 020,56 UGX	1 182,66 USD
UNSB		368 kWh	175 538,42 UGX	47,83 USD
Guest House		1487 kWh	1 189 600,00 UGX	324,17 USD
Staff		1002 kWh	801 600,00 UGX	218,44 USD
Total		11951 kWh	6 506 758,98 UGX	1 773,09 USD

And before leaving, the Bwindiview lodge team prepared supper for us around a bonfire, along with our guests from the hospital.

Urological Mission January 2025