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Philo, a palliative care nurse, loves her job—even when things get tough.
Mary Philomena Okello always wanted to be a nurse. Now Philo, as she’s nicknamed, does just that at the Lira Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda. There she brings comfort to those who are dying or in great pain. She sees about 20 patients per day, including many children—mostly AIDS orphans.
Philo is the only palliative care nurse for miles, an illustration of Uganda’s desperate shortage of health workers. “I love palliative care—it has changed my life,” she says. “But the patients are many. I need more people trained.”
That’s why last year IntraHealth helped Uganda add 7,200 new members to its health workforce, boosting the percentage of positions filled from 58% to 70% nationwide. And we’re helping to make sure that percentage keeps growing.
The IntraHealth-led Uganda Capacity Program is funded by the US Agency for International Development.
Read about more health workers who love their jobs—and how we can help sustain them: