Bringing compassion and care to the children of Uganda

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Jorge Chacon Cordero consults with a mother and her child in the clinic in Uganda.

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A consultation desk at the Holy Innocents Children’s Hospital (HICH) in the town of Mbarara, Uganda, where Jorge Chacon Cordero assisted patients.

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Jorge Chacon Cordero felt honored to see patients in Uganda, learning about their lives and making a difference in their health.

As 2025 kicked off, Jorge Chacon Cordero, MSN, RN, the manager of Sharp’s spine program, found himself with a two-week break between studying for his doctorate degree at the University of San Diego (USD) and beginning a new position at Sharp. He decided to make those two weeks count.

“Most people, when they get a small break between school and work, might catch up on sleep, binge-watch a show or finally do their laundry,” says Chacon Cordero. “But I thought, why not fly across the world to Uganda, work with adorable pediatric patients, and question all my life choices while sweating in 100-degree heat?”

A native of Spain, Chacon Cordero first moved to the United Kingdom and says being around other cultures and being more globally focused struck a chord with him.

“I wanted to have an impact on others and make it a purpose in my life,” he says. “After I became a nurse, I realized I could make it happen through my profession.” Chacon Cordero applied for and was selected to participate in a humanitarian trip organized by USD and supported by Sharp’s humanitarian services program for employees who wish to participate in such volunteer efforts. He was one of five individuals to make the trip to treat patients and bring best practices to staff at the Holy Innocents Children’s Hospital (HICH) in the town of Mbarara, Uganda. HICH is the country’s first dedicated children’s hospital and a San Diego-based nonprofit owned and run by the Catholic Diocese of Mbarara.

Challenges for children

Children under 15 make up 44% of the Ugandan population. Among both inpatients and outpatients, malaria, respiratory diseases, pneumonia, dysentery and lack of vaccinations are common. One in seven children die before age five.

Chacon Cordero says another frequent issue is burns; people in Uganda regularly make fires for warmth and to burn trash. During his time there, he also saw a three-year-old child poisoned by swallowing a lethal bedbug.

Additionally, some wary parents may visit a shaman before taking a child to the hospital. By the time doctors see the patient, the child’s condition may have worsened.

Focus on education

Chacon Cordero decided one of the best ways he could make an impact was to focus on education, both inside the hospital and within the community. His group organized an outreach clinic where they brought various hospital staff, several nurses and lab workers on a bus loaded with supplies to travel to a rural village three hours away. There, they tested for malaria, screened for stomach bacteria, and provided treatments.

“Every person in that village came,” Chacon Cordero says. “And while it was very heartwarming, I also saw what a lack of education can do.”

Through an interpreter, Chacon Cordero worked to provide preventive education on how to avoid contaminated drinking water, foods to avoid for children, vaccination recommendations and safety precautions. That day, they saw over 240 children in the clinic.

Education of hospital staff was another important goal for the group, though some safety processes or shortcuts were a result of simply not having enough resources. “At one point, I saw a nurse caring for 40 patients, and there was one ER nurse for the entire unit,” says Chacon Cordero.

There were, however, opportunities to improve practices and processes, and Chacon Cordero seized every one he could. One example was pain medication administration to children during burn dressing changes.

Chacon Cordero observed children receiving medication too close to when the dressing change was performed, which prevented the medication from providing the desired effect. Through discussion, Chacon Cordero advised giving pain medication 15 to 20 minutes ahead of the procedure to give it time to take effect and improve the young patients’ hospital experiences. “Little things do add up,” he says.

Chacon Cordero focused on safety and improving communication, such as having better conversations with the children’s families and loved ones and the importance of making them part of the process.

Cultural realities

Chacon Cordero faced his own challenges. As a proud, married member of the LGBTQ+ community, he learned that this could land him in prison in Uganda. At one point, he was advised not to go.

“I understood that I needed to be safe and focus on nursing because that’s what I love,” says Chacon Cordero. “It was difficult to not be myself completely. But my goal was to be a nurse because there’s no point in going and then changing your mind.”

Making a difference

Chacon Cordero says his trip strengthened what he already believed. Once he returned to San Diego, he shared his experience with clinical teams at Sharp Grossmont to drive that message home.

“What I brought back was a renewed belief that every action I take as a human will impact everyone else,” says Chacon Cordero. “In health care, we have the opportunity to do that hands-on. If you put your heart into it, you can really make a difference.”

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