Managing the growth and development of children means working with and through the guardians

Hope Clinic's foundation was on delivering babies and fever management. These are still the major activities in the community and those babies have various health needs as they grow. We accept new patients at any time of day or night and from all villages and towns but focus on the 100,000 living within 2 miles of us. The demographic mix of Uganda means that close to 20,000 of that population are under 5 years old. UNICEF have developed an information website which summarises the health needs of children and Hope Clinic strives to bring the services to Makindye.

To reach them, and their older siblings who often become their carers, we use information in the clinic building, have formed art clubs, sack-garden groups, played games with them and supported sports and drama sessions. Working with Straight Talk Foundation and the GIZ sponsored Youth Truck we draw in experienced partners to help us.

We carryout national immunisation policy
Age appropriate advice at Hope Clinic
She came for art and left with information

The mothers who deliver with Hope Clinic Lukuli are able to stay with their baby for at least 24 hours which gives time for check-ups of mother and child. We discuss feeding plans, cord care, mother's self-care are recovery, the options for family planning, the dates of follow-up examinations and the first of the immunisation visits. The children need exclusive breastfeeding for their first six months - achieved by only 60% of infants in Uganda in 2006 - and so we need to support the mother if she has early problems. We use the WHO child growth and development charts during the Monday immunisation and child health sessions and even have a life-size poster from Teaching Aids at Low Cost (TALC) organisation for outreaches.

Hope Clinic Lukuli employs over 20 Ugandan medics and support staff. This is necessary as our community may, and does, use us by day or night and needs advice, consultations, laboratory testing, admissions with close observation, medication and review consultations. Being open 24 hours means that the child can be brought and a Clinical Officer will be on duty to determine the possible causes of the fever, or rash, or cough or vomiting and mitigate the immediate harm whilst working with the laboratory to determine the appropriate treatment plan. Guardians know that for only Shs 1,000 they can have the specialist consultation with Omusawo.

Nutrition for guardians is important for the whole household. We cover the topics of food groups, how to get the most from their shamba and reminding the new mothers/ household-leaders of traditional sources of iodine, vitamin B, vitamin C and iron. The high starch/ carbohydrate diet of even wealthy Ugandans takes planning to get all the children need. With no meat, rare fish or chicken and perhaps the occasional egg, protein comes from milk, yoghurt and pulses. We help mothers during ante-natal classes, guardians during immunisation sessions, have posters on display in the clinic and for one season had a sack-garden project supported by local school students.

To help engage with the children, especially those over 5 years old, entering teenage changes and more likely to experiment with sexual contact, alcohol and harmful substances we combine print materials and activities. A children's art and craft therapy programme worked with out-of-school kids and the older ones enjoy an ongoing partnership with Right to Play