Email sent from Vikram Devaraj in Uganda

Hi everyone,

Now been here for 10 days, and wifi  extremely dodgy, like my large intestine which is suffering with Kampala Kurse but nothing industrial doses of ciprofloxacin can’t cure.

Interface ££ being invested in 3 fantastic Ugandan trainees Linda, Cornelius and Naomi. They rock and have spent time with me in clinic or theatre every day and we have had 5 formal interactive teaching sessions so far including a grand round talk I gave for the entire hospital. The work is as always endless. The pathology unbelievable and sometimes incomprehensible.

The money raised will be really useful for paediatric tourniquets, (there aren’t any really) just use a rubber glove tied around an 8-12 week old limb with no idea what the pressure on the underlying nerves are. We can use some of the dosh on decent books and other kit which the trainees will find useful all directed and advised by George Galiwango the head of plastic surgery at CoRSU.

So weather warm, (not as hot as UK) ( Uganda rainy season just finishing), mossies hungry (forgot the mossy repellent but hey they need to feed), early start each morning (no change there) and difficulty sleeping.

Operations going well. One 15 year old with a recurrent incompletely excised sarcoma circumferential in all compartments of her forearm and wrist. Had 2 ops elsewhere and needs post op radiotherapy. Other multiple complex congenital anomalies all kindly saved up by Andrew, mismanaged or unmanaged trauma et al and so really worth while for the patients and training staff. Unfortunately have run over late into the evening but not too often. The theatre and admin staff at CoRSU have been very supportive.

Tomorrow making a thumb on a child born without one from her index finger. She is a year old so with the equipment available it will be a challenge…Christine the physio will come to theatre to put on a splint for me. The splinting material all arrived safe Jackie, and I will share more when we have the Interface information evening  on the 22nd July.

Anyway just wanted to add my personal thanks from Uganda for all the hard work everyone keeps doing all the time to make this charity what it is. I can honestly say that it is worth the effort for the people who need it the most…….the patients and the people who endeavour to look after them.

Vikram