Medical Mission Trips to Uganda
Thank you for your interest in IMR’s medical mission trips to Uganda! This is a very unique opportunity to work with populations that have little to no access to healthcare and make a huge impact on their lives.
The Need
In Uganda, 16 women die every day in childbirth. In 2016, there was a doctor to patient ratio of 1 doctor to 24,000 patients. Hygiene in public hospitals is among the worst in Africa. There is no free medical or dental care for the poor, in a country where 20% of the people live below the poverty line and many, especially in the north, live without toilets of any kind. One-third of children under five years old are stunted. Undernutrition is an underlying cause of 60 percent of deaths for children under five and micronutrient deficiencies, including in vitamin A and iron, are highly prevalent in women and children. Uganda’s population is the second youngest in the world, with half the country’s population younger than fifteen years old. The country has grown by more than 10 million people in the past ten years. Four out of five Ugandan youth (21% of the total population) are unemployed–the highest rate in Africa. For all of these reasons and more, Uganda is a country greatly in need of the acute medical and dental care and community health education provided by IMR. Malaria, respiratory infections, and diarrheal disease are among the most common causes of premature death in Uganda. You will play an important role in the treatment and prevention of these common infections.
A 2016 study found that there is only one physician for every 24,000 patients. Needless to say, the work that you and the IMR team will perform in Uganda will make a lasting difference on the lives of your patients.
During clinic, you will help to treat conditions related to common infections, malaria, respiratory conditions, dihedral diseases, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. Since many diseases are treatable, your team will administer vaccinations and provide education on how to remain healthy. Another main focus of this mission is dentistry. Because all community members are encouraged to attend, the demand for dental care will be high.
Our Work
International Medical Relief began sending medical mission trips to Uganda in 2013. Since then, we have deployed nearly 150 IMR volunteers and staff and served more than 12,500 patients. We will continue our efforts to serve Uganda, working alongside local officials to provide medical and educational supplies to reach our goal of delivering sustainable healthcare to the community.
With diligent planning and preparation, IMR is dedicated to ensuring that specific goals are met on our missions, each in correlation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 17.
IMR works to elevate vulnerable populations through shoulder-to-shoulder care with our local partners, creating workforce density, and a cadre of future healthcare and public health leaders in association to UNSDG 3: Good Health & Wellbeing.
In correlation with UNSDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, our organization works in collaboration and at the request of local hosts where we are under their direct influence and affluence. IMR never goes into a country without a formal invitation where there is a great community need for medical or dental care, and health education.
The Mission
Join IMR as we return to Uganda to provide lifesaving care and extensive health education in small villages around Kampala, Jinja, and beyond. IMR partners with multiple Ugandan organizations in diverse locations to provide healthcare to patients with significant acute medical and dental conditions. Your team will work with some very special patients during your trip! Your team will also participate in an ongoing effort to empower communities to take steps for better preventative care through community health education and in training community members to help others in their communities.
Please join us in this remarkable country! As Winston Churchill wrote in 1907, ‘For magnificence, for variety of form and color, for profusion of brilliant life — bird, insect, reptile, beast — for vast scale — Uganda is truly “the Pearl of Africa.” The Kingdom of Uganda is a fairy tale. The scenery is different, the climate is different and most of all, the people are different from anything elsewhere to be seen in the whole range of Africa….what message I bring back….concentrate on Uganda.” Please join IMR to experience one of Africa’s friendliest, safest, most secure, stable countries, designated as the “best country to visit’ by Lonely Planet. Come see for yourself as you care for the people of this beautiful land.
Lodging & Transportation
Your team will fly into Entebbe and transfer to a nearby hotel where you will spend your first night. From day two onward, you will be accommodated in Jinja in a clean, comfortable but modest hotel. Your team will have the opportunity to explore many small villages while providing care. A village stay for one night may also on the agenda!
If you ever have a chance to go to Africa to take cold showers, coat yourself in 100% deet, sleep in mosquito nets, and work long days in the heat...you should. This is the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. I wish I could put into words what this does to your heart. I thought I was coming here to save these people...instead they're saving me.
Trip Highlights
In clinic, you will find that your efforts make a tangible difference as you treat many patients with infectious disease, large wounds, and a great deal of mosquito and water-borne illness. You’ll be able to do house calls for homebound elders, provide acute care for the large Albino community in the surrounding area, and work in a village that will welcome your care with open arms and giant hearts.
After a busy clinic schedule, the team will see some of the world’s most amazing animals “up close” on your one-day safari, which is included in this trip! Uganda is an excellent place to spot the “big five”–the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard, and rhinoceros! But that’s not all, your team will also have the chance to visit Lake Victoria and the infamous equator line which separates the southern and northern hemispheres.
Food & Water
All food is typically provided during your stay. Please refer to your unique itinerary on our website to review which meals are provided each day. We may hire local people to cook for the team during our visit, or we may eat at restaurants or hotels. Lunch in clinic may include sandwiches made by the team or a feast prepared in your honor by community leaders. We recommend bringing snacks to eat during the day or evening or to supplement your lunch. High protein/high fat/high energy snacks are best. IMR also provides all of the drinking water for the team. Hydration and nutrition are extremely important for the health of the team. You are the best judge of your own health so please pack appropriate snacks and stay well hydrated on the trip.
Extend Your Stay!
You’re journeying halfway across the globe. Have you considered extending your stay to visit some of Uganda’s top spots? (Such as a gorilla trek day trip into the mountain rainforest as you search for the famed gorillas in the mist!) Join International Medical Relief on an exclusive trip extension provided by our partner, Worldwide Navigators!
Worldwide Navigators offers two fantastic opportunities to extend your time in Uganda and view some of Africa’s most majestic animals. Contact Worldwide Navigators to book one of these extensions or get more information.
Itinerary
Itinerary is subject to change without notice.
Full Mission (7-8 Days)
Crisis Management & Emergency Response
We take security very seriously at IMR. It is our job to ensure that security precautions are in place, but please keep in mind that we cannot guarantee your safety on the trip.
- We continuously review all current activities occurring on the ground, and we work with the State Department and the U.S. Embassy to know the ground situation to the best of our ability.
- A security training conference call is available to our volunteers where we detail our security procedures that are in place for the trip.
- We take many security precautions such as radios, a buddy system, emergency evacuation plan and security planning.
- We protect the privacy of our volunteers in the field and provide them with customized contact information for their use.
- During our mandatory briefing, team members review our safety protocols, evacuation procedures, protocols for illness, natural disaster and terrorism.
We provide training to our teams to be cognizant of their own safety and to be aware of their surroundings. - Several policies require teams to adhere to safety issues.
Trip Preparation
Minimum Donation
Your generous donation helps to save and change lives everyday.
Your charitable investment will go toward ongoing global relief to care for the underserved and vulnerable people of this community. As a member of this medical mission team, you will elevate the long-term impact of sustainable, capacity-building efforts that improve the health, wellness, and quality of life of those most in need. A small portion of your donation includes:
- Clinic supplies and medications for patients
- Clinic participation
- Transportation, accommodations, and meals as outlined in the itinerary
Payment Deadlines
To save $200, a 50% donation payment must be received 14 weeks before the mission’s scheduled start date. Full donation payments must be received 4 weeks before the mission’s scheduled start date.
Early Bird Savings Opportunity
To be eligible, upload all your required documents and forms, and make a minimum of 50% of your donation payment by 14 weeks prior to your mission’s scheduled start date.
Flexible Flight Options
Volunteer with Airfare
You may choose to book a flight with us for an additional fee. Details on the available flight routing and US departure city will be announced on the Early Bird Date. Airport transportation to and from the team’s accommodations are also included with this option. Depending on your departure city, you may still need to purchase another flight in addition to this one. After this flight has been booked, you may contact our travel agent, Worldwide Navigators, for assistance booking any necessary additional flights.
Benefits of Flying at a Subsidized Rate
- Travel with other members of your team on select routing
- Fly on a subsidized ticket at a lower rate
- Transport to and from the airport included
Volunteer without Airfare
Many team members choose to book their flight(s) to and from the mission location independent of IMR. This is a great option if would like to extend your stay in the area to tour and explore, or if the routing from you home airport is more feasible for you. If you choose to fly independently, please note that your transportation in between the airport and the team’s accommodations will not be provided. This will need to be arranged separately. Our partner for travel, Worldwide Navigators, would be happy to assist you in coordinating flights and/or transportation. You can contact them at travel@worldwidenavigators.com.
Benefits of Flying Independently
- Extend your stay and customize your dates of travel
- Choose your departure location
- Customize your class of service
Featured Enhancements
**To purchase any of the above Featured Enhancements for your mission please contact our office at office@imrus.org or call at (970) 635-0110.
Fundraising
IMR provides a fundraising packet to all registered trip applicants that is full of ideas on how you can raise support for your trip or for supplies to be utilized on this specific mission. When soliciting donations for any of our trips, success is completed through telling your personal story. Why do you want to go? Who will you help? Why their donation can help you achieve the ultimate goal. Tell your story to anyone and everyone. Refer your potential or active donors to our website or Facebook page and to your personal fundraising page. You may share your personal fundraising URL on Facebook and other social media sites.
Join Us in Making a Difference.
Bring much-needed acute medical and dental care to a beautiful, culture-rich destination. You can join an IMR medical mission team today!
