Real Beauty, Real Heroes

((You know you’ve hit blog nirvana when you are called a ‘hater’.))

I’m on my way out of Bundibugyo.  The only reason I am returning to Krazy Kampala is that I ran out of money yesterday and my stupid pride won’t allow me to live on charity for more than one day.

I leave Bundibugyo at a loss for words on the Ebola epidemic.

What can I say about a people so poor and yet so brave; so frail and yet so strong?  What can I say about the medics, who despite their limited experience and the absence of equipment fought to contain a disease that baffled even the greatest among them?  What can I say about the more than 100 local volunteers, who receiving nothing but a small lunch allowance, traverse the mountains of this remote district to educate the population about Ebola, report new cases and struggle through the rough terrain to bring the sick to hospital?

What can I say about the Real Heroes … 

… and the Real Beauty of the magnificent desolate Bundibugyo?  

Sempaya Hot Springs

Semliki River Valley (on the other side of the river is the DRC)

In Honor of the Ebola Heroes

Paradox Uganda reports today of another tragic Ebola fatality.

Dr. Jonah Kule of the International Air Ambulance died on Tuesday evening at Mulago Hospital.  He contracted Ebola while treating patients at Bundibugyo Hospital last week. It is seems we have not learned the lessons from the last Ebola outbreak in Gulu in 2000. 

How many more John Kules and Matthew Lukwiyas does Uganda need to have before the Government begins to pay more attention to prevention of disease and protection of its vital medical staff? 

Perhaps former Ugandan Vice President Specioza Wandira was right when in an address at Cornell University last month she said ministries of health in Africa should be re-baptized ‘Ministries of Diseases’ because they are preoccupied with treating disease.  According to the former VP health ministries in Africa should put more energy and resources into addressing the issues that create disease.  

Unfortunately turning that ideal into practice is not a reality we will see soon. Wandira aptly noted that the achieving this goal is an up hill task because prevention requires patience and intersects with numerous social issues.

Despite this fact and the numerous challenges facing Uganda’s healthcare system, it is an inspiration that there are still medical workers willing to risk it all, laboring tirelessly with limited supplies, equipment and medicine to contain the Ebola epidemic.  

Raise your glasses to all medical workers at the frontline of the Ebola fight.  Raise your glasses to Dr. Jonah Kule, a true Ugandan hero.