BWINDI HOSPITAL

Over 1m people are living with HIV in Uganda, though only a third of these are accessing the treatment they need.  In some of the most remote areas, the provision of proper HIV testing and care is almost impossible without outreach clinics to serve local communities.

The Bwindi Community Hospital is one such clinic and began life as a small outreach centre in 2003 on the fringe of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, one of the richest ecosystems in Africa.  It quickly grew in size to be able to provide health services to 60,000 people in three surrounding sub-counties.  In addition to the provision of general health services, Bwindi operate a mobile HIV education, testing and treatment service at a further six locations surrounding the hospital, extending their reach further into the jungle.  Councillors educate on HIV and test 1,000 people every month utilising their Pointcare NOW community ambulance, while specialist nurses also provide support for pregnant women with HIV and people also living with TB.

In 2008 Stephen Fry saw first hand the work of the clinic.  While filming gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, he met a young English doctor, Paul Williams, and his wife Vicky.  Paul told of a hospital he was running just on the edge of Bwindi village and, Intrigued by this, Stephen asked if he could visit:

I found that Paul had picked up on the work of the original founder and created a quite magnificent community hospital. HIV, malaria and highly resistant forms of TB are triple killers in this part of the world and Paul set about tackling each of these threats with a combination of sensitivity, science and dogged persistence.

From miles and miles around the people came as he and the hospital earned more trust and a growing reputation. From the moment I met Paul and Vicky Williams and saw the work they were doing I determined to help in any way I could and have been pleased to do a small amount. But it is nothing compared to the simply remarkable contribution of the Elton John Aids Foundation to Bwindi and to hundreds of projects like it, a contribution that makes a genuine and measurably transformative difference on the ground – a contribution that has saved and is saving thousands of lives.

Click to read Stephen's full commentary in the Independent's World AIDS Day edition.

EJAF’s 4 year commitment of more than £370,000 is enabling Bwindi to consolidate and expand the reach of their rural HIV testing, treatment and care programme in a remote and underserved area of Western Uganda.  The initiative aims to reach 75% of those in its catchment area and enrol 3,400 HIV-positive people in HIV/AIDS services by year 4.