Elizabeth Chard Reflection – Quality Prenatal Care in Uganda

Elizabeth Chard is a College of Health Professions student at MUSC. She was awarded a Center for Global Health Student & Trainee Travel Grant in the spring of 2023 to pursue a project with OneWorld Health in Masindi, Uganda. View more photos of Elizabeth's time in Uganda in this Flickr photo gallery.

There is a special place in my heart for the individuals of Masindi, Uganda, and the various other rural communities I visited on the trip of a lifetime. This opportunity gave me the chance to learn and grow both professionally and personally. I further developed my leadership, interprofessional, and clinical skills. During my time abroad, I was given the opportunity to share critical healthcare information. Without the grant from the MUSC Center for Global Health, I would not have been able to educate on this topic.

My grant project focused on the quality antenatal care of mothers in rural Uganda. Through the development process of my pamphlet, I was given feedback from locals that are closely linked with OneWorld Health and the Masindi Kitara Medical Center in Masindi, Uganda.

I gathered information from the Uganda Clinical Guidelines for Management of Common Conditions and based my education around their suggestions. Throughout the trip, it was interesting to see the difference in what is suggested for mothers and what they actually can achieve during and after pregnancy. For example, it is suggested that mothers visit a medical provider at least four times during their pregnancy; however, many mothers do not have access to transportation needed to attend visits. Their lifestyles and customs make the “common place” practices unachievable. It is common for mothers to have home births due to several reasons such as finances and transportation issues. Without creating a birth plan, mothers and newborns are at risk.

I have found it very difficult to try and find a solution for these problems. Mothers in Uganda often have to make a choice between feeding their other children or going to the hospital for the birth of their new child. Yes, education on this subject is useful and much needed, but finding a way to create sustainable change is difficult. I believe that it will take time and the continued effort of the Masindi Kitara Medical Center and groups such as OneWorld Health. I feel privileged that I have been able to assist them on this journey of medical reform and education.

During my time in the clinics, I conducted public health speeches for patients waiting to be seen. Alongside a volunteer translator, I was able to share the importance of their health and their unborn child’s health. I found it interesting when a member of the Masindi Kitara Medical Center informed me that if I conducted the public speech, members of the community would listen to me. This really put me out of my comfort zone. I had to really speak slowly, project my voice, and be comfortable in silence.

During one of our devotionals, our leaders stated, “Humility: not thinking of yourself less, but thinking of yourself less often.” I wrote this in my journal and thought about it every day on the trip. This simple reminder helped me overcome my fears and insecurity in order to provide quality care and education.

I would highly suggest this experience to anyone. I am already looking forward to the next time I can be a part of the team. If you are interested and teetering on the idea, I just would say to you -- “The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized during the lifetime of that opportunity,” (Leonard Ravenhill).