APP at Mulago Hospital
19 August 2010
As part of the commitment to healthcare for prisoners, along with the refurbishment of clinics, APP staff attend to prisoners admitted to Mulago Hospital to offer moral support and assist with basic needs and care. Here are the stories of just a few:
Director General Alexander Mclean attended Mulago hospital in June with volunteers from the UK after being informed of a prisoner from a rural prison who had been admitted after he had been shot. His name was Isaac, his leg was badly broken and was being treated, however, he had a small supply of food and no soap to bathe. APP provided water, tea, food, soap and a cup and basin and offered support to the warden who was caring for him.
A lady had been admitted from Luzira women’s prison with suspected liver problems, she had no basic necessities so APP supplied her with food, tea, bed sheets, sanitary towels, shoes and underwear to restore her dignity and provide comfort in the knowledge that she had support. We later met her again in the clinic at Luzira prison, which APP had refurbished, a much more pleasant environment than the conditions at Mulago. She has diabetes and is receiving continuous care and being given the correct nutrition for her condition.
On this particular visit, one of the volunteers noticed a young man in the corner of the ward, he was laying in a bed on a very thin mattress; he had only one sheet which he was using to cover himself. He was alone, and handcuffed to the bed. He was very afraid when we approached him; he was lying in dirty clothes and had not eaten for 4 days. His name was Charles, he was 30 years old, he was not being attended to as the nurses were too fearful of the other patients on the ward who only knew him as a thief and therefore, in their opinion, he should be left to die. His wife came in and very quickly left after being intimidated by the other patients; she was not seen again. It was thought that he would not survive, however, during the days he was at Mulago, he received daily care from APP staff, he was cleaned, given food and much needed medical attention - including an x-ray which revealed his fractured skull and broken hand. Charles was later sentenced and taken to the clinic at Luzira prison. When Alexander visited him later in August he had been discharged from the clinic and was recovering well.
One other prisoner named Max had been admitted to Mulago during our visit, he was in a very poor condition. When he was taken to the ward from A&E, the APP volunteers bathed him and provided clean bed sheets. He was in a coma, not long after, Max passed away. However in his last few hours, he was being cared for and was given a small amount of peace and dignity.
APP provide healthcare and dignity to the prisoners admitted to Mulago who otherwise may not receive the much needed care. In the case of Charles, he was given back his basic human rights and who knows, would he have even survived?
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