Polish Aid 2020: renovation of the outpatient department at Mpunge Health Centre III in Koja in Uganda
25.01.2021
In 2020, under its Small Grants programme, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Nairobi supported an initiative entitled "Renovation of the existing outpatient department in Mpunge Health Centre III – Koja", under which we allocated EUR 7,500 to renovate the outpatient clinic adjacent to the above mentioned health center. Koja is a place with strong historical ties with Poland. Years ago, it was home to Polish refugees – Siberians, who were very warmly welcomed by the local community. We will be celebrating the 80th anniversary of their arrival to Uganda in 2022.
As part of the Small Grant implemented in partnership with Mpunge Health Centre III, we completed the renovation of the outpatient department, including the admission offices, patient waiting area, pharmacy and drug storage. The building has been repainted and connected to the already existing plumbing and electrical systems.
This is a continuation of our activities from previous years. The Polish Embassy in Nairobi has been involved in supporting the Mpunge Health Centre III since 2016. As part of the previous projects, the hospital has been expanded, we have renovated and equipped the delivery room and the mother and child ward, and we have installed a solar panel to bring electricity to the building. Some members of the medical staff were trained by volunteer doctors from the Polish association Treating with a Mission.
Our involvement brings gradual effects – the number of deliveries in the facility is increasing (from a few per month when we started cooperation with the centre to over 30 per month at present), so is the number of patients served in the outpatient department (according to data provided by the health centre - from 700 people per month at the beginning to 1200 at the end of last year).
Koja has strong historic links with Poland. During and immediately after the Second World War, Polish refugees came to Uganda in large numbers. The so-called Siberians left the USSR with the army of Gen. Anders and pursued their journey to Africa. One of the Polish settlements was established in Koja, it was inhabited by approx. 3 000 refugees. In 1943 the Poles built a medical care centre in Koja, which served both the refugees and the local population. After they left Koja, that hospital was closed. In the 1980s, thanks to the efforts of the local community, the centre was reopened, this time under its current name of Mpunge Health Centre III. This is a public clinic run by the local authorities. The Siberians who returned to Koja for a visit in 2010, seeing how great the population's need for medical care was, and wanting to express their gratitude for such a warm welcome years ago, formed a special committee to expand the existing health center in Koja. This is the facility we have been cooperating with since 2016.
On 17 of December 2020, attaché Iwona Lula paid a monitoring visit to Koja.
