Kiwoko

Got to Kiwoko (“Chuhwoko”) almost a week and a half ago after making my way up from Entebbe via taxi, microbus, and motorcycle. Kiwoko is a small town about 13 kilometers down a bumpy dusty road off the Kampala-Masindi road. It’s an agricultural area with lots of banana and mango trees, skinny cows and a few brick huts scattered here and there. The area is not a tourist hot spot to say the least. It merits zero mentions in either the Lonely Planet or Bradt guides and is primarily known in Uganda for its central role in the civil war in the 1980’s. The Luweero Triangle, where it is located, was the epicenter for the uprising in the 80’s that eventually unseated President Obote (who succeeded Idi Amin) and placed the current president Museveni in power. As a result of being the headquarters for the rebellion, the Luweero Triangle was the site of brutal fighting between the government and rebel forces and many atrocities against the local population were committed. It is estimated that 250000 people died in the area, many of whom were innocent civilians falsely accused by one side or the other of aiding the opposing forces.

Today Kiwoko is known locally for the hospital which provides the highest level of health care available for many miles around. It was started by a Christian physician from Northern Ireland who visited the area in the immediate aftermath of the violence of the 80’s and felt led to establish a health center and provide care to the traumatized and medically under-resourced area. From a small health center, it has grown to a hospital with 230 beds, providing OB, surgical, medicine and Peds care to thousands of Ugandans a year. The physician staff is a mix of Ugandan and expatriates and an ever-rotating group of visiting expatriate med students, nurses and resident physicians. Currently in the guest house where I’m staying there’s a Brit, two Germans and myself.

Internet access has been spotty here but hopefully I'll be able to post a little more regularly this week. Occasionally however the internet goes down in the whole country so that makes blogging a little bit harder.