First Step In The Right Direction

Week 2 - Internship

It is now 2 weeks since we set foot in the hospital though we should have reported by 3^rd October, 2017 making it 3 weeks. This second week, we had fairly gotten familiar with the place and how activities run. So we were up to the duties expected of us. Though with the much will to get done as we would have loved to, sometimes reality checks in and sometimes we just got to do what we can do to the best of our abilities. For instance, on the first day, I planned to be at the pharmacy by 8am so I am able to stock take for 1 hour and thereafter, do ward rounds and plan on how to follow up with my patients thereafter. I had no idea that stock taking and updating of the stock cards would take most of the morning hours. Before I knew it, it was close to 1pm. My work being interjected with occasional dispensing to patients. So I had to juggle between stock taking and intermittent dispensing meds. In order to be efficient and deliver results, we saw it fitting to meet as intern pharmacists and plan on how to go about with our activities and how to jointly conduct pharmacy rounds given the challenges of having inadequate preceptors. Indeed, we had a fruitful meeting despite not being able to conduct the ward rounds as I had planned.

Prior to the start of the internship, I took a short online course offered by the Institute for Health Improvement (www.ihi.org) focusing on a  Model for Improvement, as well as one I am still taking called Leadership and Organizing for change. As it turns out, this week, I have had the opportunity to test some of what I learnt in relation to effectively planning as well identifying colleagues and sharing about how to organize for possible changes in addition to what we learnt while at University.  

4 important things happened this week. The first one was my interaction with the in charge Nurse which revealed to me what our predecessors had done. Sister In Charge, as they are popularly called here, came to Level 6 pharmacy where I was. Apparently, the pharmacy had been closed for a week ever since our predecessors had already signed out. To find the pharmacy open was something exciting. It was clear from her warm greetings and exchange of pleasantries that our presence as intern pharmacists was anticipated to fill a gap. Sister, told me how our predecessors, especially the one on Level 6, where I was, always came on time, did bedside dispensing, followed up her patients and made recommendations to them and patient care had improved. She told me of one of the scenarios where one of the medicines, Piperacillin/Tazobactam better popularly referred to as PISA had been prescribed to a patient yet regrettably the patient could not afford the full dose. As is the case many times with most Ugandan hospitals, these drugs are usually out of stock and PISA did not miss out on these list with the most available drug being ceftriaxone. The alternative switch which had been done was to treat the patient with 2g of Ceftriaxone for a couple of days yet no much positive effect was being noticed. The then intern pharmacist, suggested to the team that rather than use 2g Ceftriaxone the dose be stepped up to 4g with daily monitoring after assessing all aspects of the drug in relationship to the medicine in question (2g Ceftriaxone is usually the dose prescribed, and not 1g ceftriaxone due to reasons of efficacy), Indeed, in the consequent days, true to her word, the patient had considerable improvement which was very appreciative of her. 

This small acts of commitment of my predecessor had earned her reputation in the ward as being very resourceful. “Will you be like your predecessors,” Sister asked me to which I responded in the affirmative. Listening to the positive feedback given by the Sister in Charge came at the right time as it provided me with the positive energy to follow. To get to learn of how interested the sister in charge was willing to cooperate with us was indeed heartwarming and I look forward to working closely with all of them.

The second thing that happened was the first debriefing that we did after doing our first joint pharmacy rounds as Intern Pharmacists on the General Gynecology ward. We evaluated what went well on the rounds, what we would need to improve next time and test changes to try out. Indeed, though we surely have a long way to go, I am positive that we have started in the right direction. One observation was the importance of establishing rapport with the patient to allow them open up while taking history. This meant introducing ourselves and reason for why we wanted to interact with the patients lest you could be sure that the patients would keep secret their challenges for fear of not knowing who we were. We hope that in our consequent interactions we shall be able to put into practice the recommendations based on what was observed.

Debriefing after our first Joint Ward Round: Komakech Walter sharing his reflections of how the Joint Pharmacists Ward round went to fellow intern pharmacists seated and attentively listening

Thirdly, as we settled in, we have been honored to have diploma pharmacy interns join our team. As we got oriented last week, this week, we have been busy orienting our colleagues, the pharmacy technicians who have increased on our slim numbers which promises better efficiency in allowing us better follow up with patients as they help with dispensing the meds at the ward pharmacies. Less than a month so far, the challenge we already identified has been the much work expected of us despite the fact that we are only 6 intern pharmacists each one responsible for a level in the 9-level storeyed Hospital, directorate of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mulago Hospital

The interaction with physicians while at university generated two impressions, one being positive sometimes and at other times negative. In this setting, we have had a series of discussions with some of the intern doctors and the positive attitude and willingness to work together is worth writing about. One of the intern doctors wondered why he was not always seeing pharmacists on rounds yet he would have loved to see us always be part of the team. It is sometimes very easy to blame a party for not doing what is expected of them not until when you engage them and hear their side of the story then a more rational conclusion can be made. This engagement with our medical colleagues unpacked the shortcomings that needed to be bridged so as to get pharmacists more resourceful and a more harmonious relationship established. Whereas it may be true that the doctors of yesteryears might find it challenging to accept the vital roles the pharmacists play as part of the health care team, the new breed of the medical doctors will find the pharmacist indispensable in providing pharmaceutical care with the patient being at the centre of focus for the best possible health care to be provided. It has been a week of learning and scanning where, how and when we as pharmacists can collaborate with all the rest of the healthcare team to provide better patient outcomes.

Pharmacy Education In Africa; A Lens from sample countries

Week One - Internship

Jotting down this experience reminds me of the essay we were told to write in high school in the English class. Our then English teacher, referred to it as my first day in secondary school. In this case, it would come off as “My first week doing internship:”

The first week spent at Kawempe Hospital would be better referred to as orientation week. We were welcomed and had a short tour of the 9-level hospital, Mulago National Hospital ‘s directorate for Obstetrics and Gynecology for the mean time since the main hospital is under renovation. I have been placed to work on level 6, a level housing the Highly Dependant Unit, Oncology section, General Gyn, and Urogyn units. 2 Intern pharmacists placed on level 5 where the volume of patients seen is highest. Level 1 in which there is the OPD unit, level 4 housing the delivery suite and level 7 dedicated for patients who pay for all the services out of pocket all have one intern pharmacist in charge of the pharmacy unit.

An Intern Pharmacists Selfie moment during the Hospital Tour

As is the norm, the tools of work such as the stock cards, dispensing log books, stock that remained after the previous interns left were handed to us and we were officially handed the mantle to start our 1-year long internship program. Week 1 was also an opportunity to get to know our colleagues better.3 of my colleagues pursued their pharmacy education from Algeria and one from India while the 3 of us all studied locally in the same university. I came to learn some interesting facts about pharmacy education in Algeria. 

Apparently, Algeria offers both Doctor of Pharmacy programmes which is a 7 year program and bachelors of science in Pharmacy programme which runs for 5 years. Regardless of which path an individual chooses to take, he/she ought to learn French, the language in which the courses are taught, in the first year exclusively rendering the first year basically for learning French. No doubts my ability to speak French could not match their fine mastery of the language. One of them offered the PharmD programme while the latter offered the BPharm programme and so I was curious to know what was unique about the 2 courses.

What stood out in my interaction with these folks was the extent to which they had studied modules related to medical laboratory work as they detailed their knowledge in parasitology, microbiology, clinical chemistry and other related course units. Had they pursued these related course units in Uganda, they would pass off more as Medical Lab scientists than Pharmacists. It was more surprising to learn that pharmacists in Algeria were allowed to open medical laboratories to perform some of the laboratories to carry out the medical investigations synonymous to what medical laboratory scientists do here in Uganda.

Group Photo of the Intern Pharmacists; Back Row from Left;m Komakech Walter, Nabuuma Mariam, Kyambadde John .M.
Front Row: From Left: Aboda Noah, Nantege Rachel and Namukasa Flavia

Unlike our foreign trained colleagues, our learning leaned towards more hospital based pharmacy roles such as provision of pharmaceutical care, pharmaceutical analysis in industry and developing a better understanding of use of natural products or herbal products in the management of diseases. Like Algeria, India also runs a dual pharmacy program in which both the PharmD and BPharm curriculum are run. With all this diversity in education, we can only hope for a richer interaction sharing experiences and getting a better sense of how either parties can benefit from these varied learnings.

Adventure Into the Wild

It is hard to believe that the course that started early this month is coming to a close. Having spent a great deal of time understanding the broader concepts of the social determinants of health, it was worth taking some time off to refresh. The perfect way? Venture into the wild and meet with nature resounding with tranquility and serenity. 

Sitting on a boat along the Nile River as we wound up with the boat cruise, I was in a state of reflection. The mind at rest and experiencing the thrill, fun and relaxation that comes with such adventures. I felt like a newly born baby getting the first gasp of life after being delivered.

Some of the SocMed participants aboard the boat on the boat cruise during the trip

The entire weekend has given moments to reminisce as one of my best highlights of the course besides the enlightening aspects. A trip to Murchison Falls, Uganda‘s largest National Park started off early morning on Saturday. The silent atmosphere away from the busy town life is what greeted our ears as we entered the park. Sights of a few kobs, giraffes and buffalos were quick to come by. The afternoon was well spent viewing the 45 metre deep falls from which the National Park derives its name, Murchison Falls. How beautiful it was to view the gushing waters of the Nile fall through the cliff. I remembered the high school days during our geography classes studying about East Africa‘s national parks and many more of nature ‘s bounty. This experience lit up these memories.

Never mind the uncomfortably hot sun that rendered our drinking water packed in plastic water bottles not worthy of our drinking appetite. The sun angrily scorched and heat up the savannah grassland hard. To say it was unbearable would be an understatement. Nonetheless, the intense heat was not a deterrent to our fun.

Returning from the exciting view of the falls, a camp fire with a blend of soothing music, soft and hard drinks, delicious barbeque and friendly conversation was what awaited our presence at our residence. We cracked jokes, had hearty laughters and then  slowly by slowly, the joy of the night plummeted into sleep.

Have you never taken a safari to an African National Park yet would like to enjoy the best of your experience while there? An early morning game drive is one thing you can’t afford to miss. Up by about 6am today, we had a game drive taking stock of all the animals we might have missed out seeing the previous day. Water bucks, Buffalos, African Elephants and Jackals were indeed a common sight.

I am made to think that the fresh soothing breeze from the Nile waters comes with a therapeutic effect of relieving stress. A feeling of relaxation, revitalization and serenity was my experience there. A stop over at Pakwach Town Council later in the afternoon climaxed our trip as we bought beautiful handicrafts as souvenirs. It had not occurred to me that the Park was locally referred to as Paraa and the nearby town council as Pakwach. Thinking about the two local names which when loosely translated means places for hipottamus and leopards respectively made sense thereafter. After all, we saw a lot of hippos though unfortunately, we did not come across leopards. Maybe in my next trip, I will have an opportunity to see them.  The presence of these mammals in this place could have given birth to these names, I wondered. This was my weekend experience.

For those of you who might want to take time off and get your side of the story, Murchison Falls National Park trip courtesy of SocMed 2017 class has been a thrilling experience. Till again, be sure to get the highlights of what transpired during the course.

The Recreation Project

Funny how we started a few weeks ago and the course is fast coming to an end. Needless to say, if there is anything worth writing home about, then I believe the whole nitty gritty of what transpired needs to jotted down. This will surely go down as one of the best decisions I have ever made to participate in the course. So allow me to take you through much of the different activities we have gone through so far 

The Recreation Project

It was Thursday, 5^th January, 2017 when we woke up to a bright sunny morning. The temperatures fast rising and I was left wondering what the Recreation project was all about. Uncertain as I was, I just had no option but rather follow on the bandwagon. Was it the first project we were to start working on? Going by the name, perhaps it had something to do with fun? Curiosity got the better part of me when I discovered that we trudged through a small pathway with both sides of the pathway covered by grass. Moments later, alas, there in front of us was a beaming sign of the Recreation Project clutched in between two trees. The freshness of nature greeted my soul as we entered this beautifully festooned recreational space, I will call it. I was not alone in appreciating the calmness, quietness and serenity of the environment. All friends that had arrived here for their first time could attest to this.

We later split into groups of about ten members and were tasked to do a number of fun activities. Learning in a fun way is usually one way that ingrains the content learnt into the very core of understanding. I must say there have been a couple of times I have learnt about teamwork in different settings and how it is key in working to achieving common goals in a group or an organization. However, no such learning can near this experiential learning that was so practical, fun filled and real. I am sure even 10 years after this course, the significance of teamwork in partnerships will be as vivid as never before. When I hear, I forget; when I see, I remember; when I do, I understand, it is often said. Indeed, by getting involved in the various group game activities, the values of teamwork in the greater success of our work could not be over emphasized. Through this approach, we were able to appreciate how to tap into the strengths and weaknesses of each individual in a team, the importance of effective communication, flexibility, strategic planning, oversight, respect for one another and contribution each member brings to a team regardless of their positions.

The day was well spent as it further enabled us to even get to know each other better in the spirit of togetherness through the fun activities. In my earlier blog, I did mention that SocMed works on the principle of praxis, the personal and partnership. I am now certain that the Recreation Project Learning indeed drove the message home of the relevance of partnerships in bringing about the much needed social justice and health equity. Teamwork even goes beyond what the course focusses on, into our daily lives as we interact with people in our various work environments, if there is a model of learning that has been resourceful, the experiential learning at the recreation project was one of such I would not hesitate to recommend to any group to try out and see the benefits.

The SocMed 2017 Experience begins!

Ever heard of SocMed before? Yes for some of you and for others, this might perhaps be the first time you are hearing about this. SocMed is a non-profit organization that was established with a mission to advocate for and implement global health curricula imbued through a philosophy of praxis, the personal and partnership. These concepts will definitely become familiar to you as we get along.


It is said that people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. This holds true to healthcare professionals inclusive of students within the medical field. Beyond the biological basis of disease; the social and economic causation of illness, an immersion course in social medicine organized by SocMed gives meaning to this assertion.


The 2017 SocMed course participants come from across the globe in particular from Uganda, Rwanda, Lebanon, Zimbabwe and the United States.  Tuesday January, 3rd was the date of arrival and the atmosphere was filled with excitement among all of us to meet as if we had known each other ages ago. Thanks to the era of technology. The chit chat and familiarization process had begun months ago on the 2017 SocMed WhatsApp group. On this day, despite meeting physically for most of us for the first time, the interaction was honestly amazing and filled with warmth. 



Olirus Alex (Left) and Dr, Emmanuel Ochola after sharing with the Social Medicine class about the background of St. Mary 's Hospital, Lacor Hospital 

The first day of our class got us being enlightened about the background of the course site St. Mary's Hospital, Lacor; social medicine determinants of health and the social theories of global health.

An illustration of one of the theories of the global health using video presentation

Are you wondering whether it was all about studying and no play? Worry not, beyond the class work came the fun time. The social moment was really awesome. Work without play makes Peter a dull boy, so goes the English adage. Indeed, the display of the unique dance strokes  to a couple of local and international music fused with the enjoyment of the delicious cake and the yummy yellow bananas were the highlights of the evening. We have been energised, oriented into the course and are expectant of a lot more learning, interaction and fun in the coming days and so should you expect the updates on this blog. The conversation continues. A great start it was!.  Tomorrow, we focus attention on narrative medicine and introduction to the clinical components of social medicine.

The Welcome Cake

The Participant Representatives from the different countries getting ready to cut the cake

The Inspiration

For a while now, I have been remembering the good times in high school where I used to enjoy the fictitious composition writing that always made me express my innermost feelings and appreciate the beauty of life through writing.

With the advent and appreciation of social media, I can only imagine how much resourceful we could be if we took off time to share our life experiences, expertise, and knowledge with people out there. In one way or another this would truly impact on the lives of people somewhere in the world in a very positive way we may not have even thought about.

Today, I am inspired to blog because of travelling to so many different areas through the lens of others, learning one or two new things because others took their time to put together their experiences. This journey for me has just began today. I draw my inspiration from several colleagues and friends from whom  I have learnt the so much in the areas of interest which in a way has made me more relevant to society. Kennedy Odokonyero, a frequent insightful blogger at his http://kennedyodokonyero.blogspot.ug/ is one such kind of person. And then there is wonderful lady I have never met yet her articles are so soul reaching at her blog. You will definately know what I am talking about when you spend a few minutes on these blogs.

As an aspiring pharmacist with a passion for clinical pharmacy, I have got the chance to learn more about the challenges in the many Ugandan hospitals in as far aspects of clinical pharmacy is concerned, and the strides that Ugandan pharmacy fraternity has made to contribute to the betterment of health care through the eyes of this wonderful Professor, Professor KarenBeth Bohan in her blog. She has chronicled her experiences and endeavours in regard to practice of clinical pharmacy in Uganda. These insights you would not want to miss if you truly share the burning desire to provide a holistic  pharmaceutical care wherever you maybe. In their footsteps, I am inclined to follow.

Join me on this journey of  sharing experience, advocating for health equity and social justice, and exploring the practice of clinical pharmacy practice in Uganda.