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.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

The operating theatre





Hi Everyone,

Internet has been out all night, but here we go to catch up with our activities...

We have completed 3 days of surgery, operating on 4 children, 2 requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. All the kids are doing well, having had excellent repairs from Dr Dabal. The OR has been transformed. The equipment has been working......but with some quirks that the team has had to learn about and develop work arounds for. Home made cardioplegia, OR monitors suddenly failing, anesthesia ventilators that stop working, etc etc. Power surges and outage are frequent. Dr Duane Stillions has been fabulous in training the Ugandan Anesthesiologists. Arterial lines are now being used. Significant changes in anesthetic approaches, etc. Bill Nicotra and Jerry Mikesell have been training the Ugandan Perfusionist and that has gone extremely well. Tracey Clapp has gotten the OR nursing modernized and running (more) efficiently. We will try for 2 bypass cases tomorrow.
Posted by UNC UGANDA TEAM at 1:02 PM
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