Due to the risks involved in boat travel, the islands of Lake Victoria are unattractive to health workers wishing to extend their services. But MAF’s flights to Bukasa are changing this narrative.
At the tender age of three, Elisha Francin’s parents have lost count of how many times their son has suffered from malaria.
Elisha presents with a swollen stomach and pale skin pigment. The many infections have taken a toll on the boy’s health, exacerbated by partial treatments and in some cases, no treatment at all.
During a medical outreach to Lwanabatya fishing community, Doctor Daniel Senjala diagnosed Elisha with a swollen liver and spleen.
“If this is not treated, it could injure the spleen and liver and other vital organs,” Doctor Daniel said. “This is clearly caused by recurrent untreated malaria,” he added.
MAF flew Doctor Daniel and other medics and evangelists from Medical & Dental Missionaries Africa and Jesus Film Ministries to the Lake Victoria islands, where they provided free medical treatment to Lwanabatya and the surrounding islands.
The Christian medics from the team are employed by different organisations that take delight in serving God with their talent and expertise. Due to the poor boat transport situation and the risk involved in crossing from the mainland to the islands, health workers are reluctant to make the journey to the islands.
But with MAF, teams can be quickly flown to Bukasa Island, avoiding the risk of boat travel on a lake where people often lose their lives.
Of the over 200 islands on Lake Victoria, only Bukasa Island has an airstrip. Until now, this has limited MAF’s ability to serve the island communities.
MAF in Uganda has recently acquired a floatplane to be able to extend services to many more Lake Victoria communities with ease.
Pilot Andrew Parker delivered the team to Bukasa Island. “Looking down at the lake from the air and seeing the islands surrounded by all that water made me feel really excited about the floatplane, and the potential it has to reach many isolated people with the hope we have in Jesus,” he said.
With an MAF flight, service providers can get to the islands in only 20 minutes, while traveling to the same place by boat would take them nearly half a day, and for some islands, the entire day.
Elisha’s father, Eriya Nzeimana, travelled three hours by boat from Buyovu island to Lwanabatya to seek free treatment for his ailing son.
“Buyovu Island has no hospital at all. The only medical facility available there is a small drug shop,” Eriya said.
From Doctor Daniel’s observation, Elisha’s situation has also been escalated by misdiagnosis.
“We have been giving him dewormers; we thought he had worms in the stomach,” Elisha’s father added.
By providing a safe and fast transport alternative, MAF hopes to improve access to healthcare for people like Elisha.
Phillip, a 40-year-old, is suffering from HIV/AIDS and is visibly ill and urgently needs to shift to a stronger drug to survive.
He is one of a number of patients that Doctor Daniel saw during the visit, who are no longer responding to their treatment. Doctor Daniel attributes this to irregular dosage and a lack of facilities to support these people.
But with MAF services, access to health services is changing. And when the MAF floatplane begins operations early next year, the lives of people in the communities here will undergo a major transformation.
STORY & PHOTOS / DAMALIE HIRWA