Fundraising for Mbale Hospital Uganda
Donation protected
I am a doctor currently working in South London in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care. This summer I will be (slowly) running/walking/crawling the Pennine Way to raise money for anaesthetic equipment to support a hospital in Uganda. The route is 431km long and will take 8 days to complete - averaging 52km (10 km more than a marathon) per day. I will be carrying all my own kit for the week and staying in B&Bs/buying food along the way.
Why am I doing this?
In August 2021 I am moving to Mbale in Eastern Uganda for one year to work in an unpaid role teaching on a BSc in Anaesthesia programme at Busitema University Medical school and the Mbale teaching hospital. The aim of the programme is to help increase the number of practicioners able to provide safe and reliable anaesthesia in the region.
All of the money raised will be spent on anaesthetic equipment for the Mbale Hospital Anaesthetic Department.
A 2018 study published in the academic journal Anaesthesia reports "In 2006, there were 13 physician anaesthetists and approximately 350 non‐physician anaesthetists (anaesthetic officers) looking after a population of 29 million. This equates to 0.05 anaesthetists per 100,000 population, compared with 17.85 per 100,000 (12,000 physician anaesthetists) currently working in the UK". The low number of anaesthetists in Uganda has been highlighted in a bulletin from the WHO (World Health Organisation) see links below and contributes to a lack of access to vital surgery in this region.
The department I will be joining have asked me to fundraise to purchase some additional anaesthetic equipment which will have a long lasting impact on patient safety. They particularly want to purchase a videolaryngoscope which is something we use on a regular basis here in the UK.
What is a videolaryngoscope?
A videolaryngoscope is a piece of equipment which aids anaesthetists in safely placing an endotracheal tube - a tube into the windpipe - of patients with a difficult airway. Usually it is not required but for some patients this piece of equipment is life saving. In the UK every hospital will have videolaryngoscopes in operating theatres, maternity theatres and intensive care. Being able to provide this piece of equipment for Mbale Hospital would improve the safety of surgery for patients having operations there. During my time in Mbale I would be able to contribute to training anaesthetic officers to use the equipment, passing on the advice of the many UK based consultant anaesthetists who have trained me so far.
Want to find out more?
Follow me on twitter @GasdocUganda where I'll share updates of our Pennine way adventure as well as when I arrive in Uganda.
A 2018 study published in the academic journal Anaesthesia reports "In 2006, there were 13 physician anaesthetists and approximately 350 non‐physician anaesthetists (anaesthetic officers) looking after a population of 29 million. This equates to 0.05 anaesthetists per 100,000 population, compared with 17.85 per 100,000 (12,000 physician anaesthetists) currently working in the UK". The low number of anaesthetists in Uganda has been highlighted in a bulletin from the WHO (World Health Organisation) see links below and contributes to a lack of access to vital surgery in this region.
The department I will be joining have asked me to fundraise to purchase some additional anaesthetic equipment which will have a long lasting impact on patient safety. They particularly want to purchase a videolaryngoscope which is something we use on a regular basis here in the UK.
What is a videolaryngoscope?
A videolaryngoscope is a piece of equipment which aids anaesthetists in safely placing an endotracheal tube - a tube into the windpipe - of patients with a difficult airway. Usually it is not required but for some patients this piece of equipment is life saving. In the UK every hospital will have videolaryngoscopes in operating theatres, maternity theatres and intensive care. Being able to provide this piece of equipment for Mbale Hospital would improve the safety of surgery for patients having operations there. During my time in Mbale I would be able to contribute to training anaesthetic officers to use the equipment, passing on the advice of the many UK based consultant anaesthetists who have trained me so far.
Want to find out more?
Follow me on twitter @GasdocUganda where I'll share updates of our Pennine way adventure as well as when I arrive in Uganda.
Thanks so much for any donation you can spare!
In the meantime here are some links with information about anaesthesia in Uganda;
https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/88/8/09-072371/en/
https://associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/anae.14116
In the meantime here are some links with information about anaesthesia in Uganda;
https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/88/8/09-072371/en/
https://associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/anae.14116
Organizer
Nicola Kelly
Organizer
England