Page 15 - October - December 2022 Edition

By Dr R. J. Stockley. MBE. MBBS. DTM&H. Dick & Rosie Stockley

This time of year, is when we see many new arrivals starting new contracts. Welcome: we hope you enjoy
a safe and healthy visit. This brief overview is a summary: you can read the whole article on www.the-
eye.ug.
Uganda is in the tropics, and visitors often worry about "tropical diseases". In reality we rarely see truly
tropical diseases such as Onchocerciasis, Leishmaniasis or Chikungunya. We are more likely to see bad
backs, in growing toe nails and hemorrhoids. Immunisation has prevented many of the previously
feared infections and simple hygiene can prevent most of the rest. Most of the problems we see could
have been prevented by sheer common sense.
There is a story of a British foreign office veteran health advisor retiring after 50 years. He was asked what
advice would you give to a young couple coming to work in the tropics. He said don't drink and drive,
wear a seat belt. I would add "and keep your knickers on". The commonest cause of death of expats in
Uganda is road accidents. One statistic shows that volunteers in Africa compared to matched controls
in Europe were 10 times more likely to die in a road accident, 5 times more likely to be murdered but
only half as likely to die from disease. Uganda is a very healthy place to live. There is no box at Entebbe
that says "welcome to Uganda, please leave your brain here and collect it on the way out." So here are
7 common sense rules to prevent you from going home in a box or getting medevac'd early.

2) Murder is rare but violent robbery and rape are more common. So, rule number 2 is also "sheer
common sense". Do not do in Uganda what you would not do at home. You would not ride a motor bike
without a helmet. You would not get on a motor bike outside a night club at 2.00am with a man you
have never met. Do not leave your drink. If you go out together, make a pact that you go home
together. Almost every rape victim we see says "how could I have been so stupid".

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