This week we hear from one of of the community team nurses, Mugarura Geoffrey.

My name is Mugarura Geoffrey. I am a volunteer community nurse at Bwindi Community Hospital. I have worked at BCH for almost 2 years

My job involves giving immunisations and screening for malnutrition in children under 5 years as part of community outreaches.   I also provide health education to mothers so they are able to care for their children well. 

Why do you like work in community nursing?

I want to help others to have a better life. 

What is your favourite thing about working in community nursing?

Seeing the community benefiting from the interventions we have introduced.

What have challenges have you faced during the course of your time at BCH?

Covid-19 was a very big challenge.  It meant that people in the community did not have enough money, including a lack of money for food.  We were able to visit people during the pandemic but people in the community were really struggling. 

What is the most interesting thing that you have seen at BCH?

BCH welcomes everyone.  BCH is reliable employer and treats its staff well.

What do you hope for the future?

I plan to go for further education, I would like to study a BSc or an MSc in nursing.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I like going to pitch to play football.  I do some farming at home, including growing beans, yams and casava. 

The BCH Community team provides health outreach services to around 70,000 people in the catchment area. Some of these villages are hard to access by small mud tracks and are a day’s walk from the hospital. The team provide health education, care for chronic diseases, deliver the child vaccination programme and offer maternal health services and mental health services as well as taking HIV testing and treatment and mosquito nets to reduce the incidence of malaria. REACH Bwindi is passionate about supporting these services. To see more about ways you can get involved see the ‘seven ways to support us’ page.