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.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

My experience as a newbie

Coming to Uganda, I had no expectations about what our mission would entail. It has been an amazing trip to date, with a busy ICU, lots of teaching (and learning) in the most welcoming environment I have ever encountered. To interact with the patients and their families both preoperatively and post-op has allowed us to bond and not be strangers. It has warmed my heart to see our patients now out on the general ward, ready to go home and continue life with a new outlook. The teamwork between the UNC group and the Mulago healthcare team members has been enjoyable, productive, and fun. This is a resilient and resourceful group and I have learned a lot about Uganda, its people, and its healthcare system. Thank you to everyone from the UNC team who were gracious enough to invite me to participate, and thank you to everyone at the Mulago Hospital for welcoming me into their workplace.

-- Stacey Peterson-Carmichael, MD
Posted by UNC UGANDA TEAM at 8:17 AM

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