About UNC Project-Uganda

In 2004, a group of UNC physicians established the Amal Murarka International Pediatric Health Foundation in memory of their colleague, Dr. Amal Murarka, who died unexpectedly in 2003. The foundation sent a medical team to Kampala to establish the country's first pediatric intensive care unit at Mulago Hospital, Makerere University, where Dr. Murarka had previously conducted research. Subsequent work in 2007 and 2008 focused on pediatric cardiac surgery. The foundation not only built a cardiac ICU, but also performed a total of 21 life-saving pediatric cardiac surgeries.

In 2008 the foundation partnered with the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases to establish UNC Project-Uganda.

Mission

The UNC Project-Uganda was established to support sustainable delivery of compassionate and competent health care to infants, children, and adolescents in Uganda; to improve the medical knowledge of the Ugandan health care workforce through in-country training and a physician exchange program; and to provide advanced medical equipment, medications, and services necessary for the delivery of compassionate and competent pediatric care in Uganda.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Durham children learning about Uganda

NOTE: I received this letter on Friday from Esther Hahm....7th Grade Humanities Teacher (Duke School For Children) and with her permission I am sharing this with the group.
We are SO HAPPY that school children from North Carolina are intrigued and following our mission. We will create a presentation for these children when we return....
Dear Dr. Kocis,

Hello! I hope this message finds you well and in good spirits. I recently read an article in the UNC-CH Tar Heel Daily about your medical group's trip to Uganda. Your work inspired and intriguied me, and I was wondering, if there is any way, if a member of your group could share what you all did in Uganda with my students here at the Duke School for Children.

Our seventh graders are currently studying a unit on Africa, and one class is devoted to studying contemporary health issues that affect specific tribal groups in Sub-Saharan Africa. Right now they are reading articles and analyzing data, but I can sense that they are finding it difficult to grasp how people are affected day-to-day and to realize that people are suffering right now.

Ideally, a presentation at our school would reach the most number of our students, but if your group is already planning to present in a venue that is appropriate for our students to attend, we would love to encourage our students to be there. In any case, thank you for leading us to become a more compassionate and global-thinking community.

Esther Hahm
Seventh Grade Humanities Teacher
Duke School for Children
3716 Old Erwin Road
Durham, NC 27705
Posted by UNC UGANDA TEAM at 12:32 PM

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