34 , Wednesday, October 1, 2014 MWALIMU

The prime minister, Ruhakana Rugunda (right), the papal Nuncio in Uganda, Blume Michael (middle) and the vice-chancellor of Uganda Martyrs University, Prof. Charles Olweny (left) Guests cutting a cake during the inauguration of Mother Kevin Medical School Mama Kevin’s missionary work gives birth to medical school

By Conan Businge This gave birth to St. Raphael the continent. Olweny the Vice-Chancellor of and Jane Wasagali and St. Francis Hospital, commonly This makes it the fi fth Catholic Uganda Martyrs University, there are known as . medical school in Africa, and the only two new courses in offi ng; a masters She is best known to many as Mother In 1910 the church assigned post-graduate medical school on the in emergency and then Kevin or Mama Kevina. But her real Sister Kevin the task of spreading African continent. critical care medicine. name is Teresa Kearney. She was missionary work in Uganda. Mother Mother Kevin postgraduate medical Prof. Olweny says, “ These courses raised by her grandmother after the Kevin spent 52 years working in school MKPMS was established by were the best for the country’s needs. death of her parents. Africa, founding several missions Uganda Martyrs University–Nkozi in The new courses we are bringing Kearney left school at age 14 – a whose activities included primary partnership with Nsambya hospital on board are rare yet the country respectable age in Ireland at that and secondary education, Teacher in 2010. needs them so much, taking into time. She wanted to train as a teacher, Training Colleges, nursing training Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, who consideration the several accidents but the fi nances were inadequate. schools, clinics and hospitals, was the guest of honour, thanked and grave injuries our people suffer.” Thus she became a junior assistant orphanages, a school for the blind Nsambya Hospital and Uganda He cited the 2010 bomb blasts mistress and joined the band of the and two centres for leprosy. Martyrs University for the great work in Kampala, a scenario which he undervalued untrained teachers who According to an article which of training the much needed health says demanded having adequate made up the bulk of the profession. appeared in the Irish Missionary workers in the country. “I also honour specialised medical personnel in She later turned her focus to religious Union Report in 2002, Mother Kevin, the health workers in this country, for emergency medicine, on site to help life. With a growing conviction that aware of the great hardship many the great work they are doing amidst patients; but was not possible. God was calling her to be a Sister, women endured during childbearing, so many challenges,” he added. “We chose courses that are unique she applied for admission to the and of the high rate of infant and Uganda has only one health worker and are of higher need to our country. Franciscan Sisters, St Mary’s Abbey, maternal mortality, she approached for every 607 people and is able to We did not have to follow what every Mill Hill, London, volunteering to Cardinal Bourne of Westminster with fi ll fewer than 60% of public-sector institution was doing,” he adds. work among African-Americans. For health positions, according to the It admits about 16 students every three years she waited for a posting Ministry of Health. academic year, and, “they must to the American Mission, but when The late Mama Kevin Although 87% of the population is go through a rigorous interview,” the call for a foreign mission came, it Her works in the lives rural, health worker positions in rural according to Prof. Olweny, “to was from Africa. reads the article. regions draw fewer candidates than determine their critical competences of people did not It is then, according to the article, the more attractive jobs in urban sites. before being admitted. We take the Mother Kevin comes to Uganda that she decided to attend a modifi ed Problems related to performance, best in these interviews.” Earlier reports in the media show die; because 53 years course in Obstetrics in Alcase in retention, skills, motivation and The school’s fi rst students that she was sent to Uganda and France. “With the help of Dr Evelyn absenteeism also shape the health graduated last year. began the work that was to make later, a Mother Kevin Connolly from Ireland, she launched workforce environment. Nsambya Hospital provides the Mother Kevin’ a household name in a Catholic Nurses Training school in Uganda Martyrs University teaching staff on top of supervising the country. Nsambya. To date the motto of that partnered with Nsambya Hospital, the school, while Uganda Martyrs When their leader according to the Postgraduate Medical training school is ‘Love and Service’.” to start a postgraduate medical University handles the curricula and Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Africa programme at Nsambya, initially executing its implementation. website returned to United Kingdom School was born Mother Kevin school born with disciplines in the hospital which The school started in November in 1910, Sister Kevin became the new On the morning of October 17, have enough senior staff to serve as 2010. leader. New convents were opened 1957, after a night of appealing for teachers and mentor the trainees. Dr. Pascal Karakunga, a student alongside primary schools and a request to study midwifery. missionary funds in Boston, Mother pursuing a master’s degree in clinics. Kevina became synonymous “Maternity work was still closed Kevin was found dead in her bed. Unique courses offered medicine says that one great with acts of charity and generosity. to the religious, but Canon Law did But her works in the life of people The post-graduate school has attribute about this medical school, The would-be teacher started her not stop her pressing the boundaries. did not die; because 53 years later, a four master’s degree courses in “is the small and manageable fi rst clinic under a mango tree near The good Bishop was horrifi ed that Mother Kevin Postgraduate Medical internal medicine, obstetrics and number of students and having very the convent, and in 1906, she saw the a nun should study midwifery in School was born; in commemoration gynaecology, paediatrics, and senior lecturers in the fi eld of human fi rst hospital ward opened. Dublin and forbade her to continue,” of her great work to the country and surgery. According to Prof. Charles medicine and treatment.”