BMA/RCN Humanitarian Fund announces £25,000 for health projects in the developing world

Published: 22 January 2010

Release Date: Friday 22 January 2010

NHS teams planning humanitarian work overseas can apply for grants of up to £3000 from the BMA/RCN Humanitarian Fund from today (22 January 2010).

The total amount available for projects in 2010 will be £25,000 – comprising, £20,000 from the BMA, and £5,000 from the Royal College of Nursing.

Last year, 29 grants were awarded from the Humanitarian Fund, which is administered by the BMA’s International Department. Projects ranged from reducing infant deaths by training community health workers to deliver improved maternity care in Afghanistan to setting up a sustainable kidney transplant programme in Ghana.

Dr Terry John, chairman of the BMA’s International Committee, says:

“The Humanitarian Fund offers financial support to NHS staff working to improve healthcare in the developing world. The fund is looking for applications from healthcare workers planning to work with communities to deliver lasting improvements. Grants of up to £3000 are available for individual projects to cover costs such as travel expenses and accommodation, which can so often be the stumbling block that prevents projects going ahead.

“Many of the projects that have been supported by the Humanitarian Fund have delivered lasting benefits. In Ghana, for example, a British team supported by the Humanitarian Fund have trained local surgeons and nephrologists with the aim of establishing a national kidney transplant service that will save many lives.”

Susan Williams, Head of International Affairs for the RCN, says:

"The Royal College of Nursing is proud of the work which has already been done through the Humanitarian fund. The fund offers clinicians and other NHS staff the opportunity to share experience and good practice with others in the developing world, providing practical benefits to patients and communities. Last year, nurses worked on projects including the prevention of cervical cancer in India and Nepal, treating patients with AIDS in Malawi and educating nurses in emergency care in Mozambique. We look forward to more projects like these getting the support they need.”

Ends

Notes to editors

NHS staff seeking funding for projects should apply to the BMA’s International Department at international.info@bma.org.uk.

For more information, go to: http://www.bma.org.uk/international/international_development/humfund2010.jsp

Further examples of projects funded by the BMA/RCN Humanitarian Fund in 2008/09 include:

Summary of projects funded 2008-9

Afghanistan Project aims to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality by increasing uptake of skilled maternity care and improving quality of care through training of local community health workers.

Albania Provide education and support on health, nutrition, infectious diseases and prevention of childhood illnesses within the Roma community.

Benin Provision of anaesthetic and pre/ post operative care in Benin.

Bolivia Provision of medical outreach clinics, basic primary care facilities and a programme of health education to the people of Paria.

Botswana Exchange of medical knowledge, ideas, working practices, technologies and research with Link partners in Botswana.

Cambodia providing training to local doctors in how to improve various aspects of health care, promoting disease prevention by targeting hygiene and using locally available resources to educate villagers.

Ethiopia Support the development of a paediatric Intensive Care Unit/ High Dependency Unit in a teaching hospital in Ethiopia where there is currently no such provision.

Ethiopia Long-term aim is establishment of sustainable relationship between NHS Trust in Wales and Hossana hospital in Ethiopia. 2009 visit will teach neonatal resuscitation and management of obstetric emergencies, training and supervision of anaesthesia, infection control practices and provision of an ophthalmic clinic and surgery.

Ghana Capacity building project between NHS Highland Trust (in partnership with the University of Stirling) and Wa health links project (Ghana). Overall project purpose is to establish a long-term reciprocal and beneficiary relationship towards the improvement of health delivery and outcomes.

Ghana Development of a mutually supportive relationship between a York based GP surgery and the health community in Fanteakwa District, Ghana. The Link aims to enable local health workers to improve health outcomes for the local population, through educational visits, financial and organisational support.

Ghana Visit to perform kidney transplant surgery and to teach transplant skills to local surgeons. Long-term aim of the project is to aid the development of a sustainable national kidney transplant programme in Ghana.

India & Indo-Tibetan Himalayas Delivery of healthcare to a remote region of the Indian and Nepalese Himalayas.

Kenya Two day workshop to increase the knowledge of health librarians and resource managers in Kenya. Development of further links with Kenya Chapter of the Association for Health Information and Libraries.

Malawi Undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, mentoring, collation of a unit protocol book, running of anti-retroviral clinics and a weekly out-reach clinic in a local orphanage.

Malawi Visit aims to provide academic nursing education and clinical nursing skills to a workforce within an orthopaedic setting. Project also aims to enable nurses to develop locally produced information for patients undergoing various orthopaedic procedures.

Malawi Training local health care volunteers in basic health education with the aim of reducing incidence of HIV and malaria through provision of appropriate information and education.

Malawi Project aims to establish an anaesthesia training programme as Malawi does not have one currently. Project visit will involve lectures, tutorials and practical in-theatre teaching.

Mozambique Project aims to design and share delivery of multidisciplinary courses for the management of medical emergency care and trauma management of infants, children and adults.

Nepal Project to assess, identify and implement plans to meet the healthcare needs of orphaned and disabled children living in two orphanages in Nepal.

Nepal Project to train Nepalese gynaecologists in clinical and managerial aspects of cervical screening and colposcopy programmes and to help establish cervical screening centres within and outside the Kathmandu valley.

Pakistan Project aims to contribute to building capacity among Pakistani clinicians particularly in respect of child and adult mental health.

Pakistan Team of four UK-based ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeons to perform surgery on patients. Long-term aim is to educate local surgeons to perform surgery themselves.

Sudan Establishment of a long-term link between Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Wau Hospital with aim of setting up education and training programmes for multi-disciplinary staff.

Sudan Experienced nursing and medical trainers to undertake intensive training of local staff enabling them to develop their own training programmes eventually. Participation in curriculum planning for postgraduate medical education in Sudan.

Tanzania Promotion of the universal access to affordable quality palliative care. Training and evaluating local community-based healthcare trainers in palliative care techniques.

Uganda Establishment of an annual training course for junior doctors, equipping them with the skills needed in the resuscitation and management of the acutely ill patient and medical emergencies.

Uganda Delivery of a neonatal and child health teaching programme in rural Uganda

Zimbabwe Multidisciplinary training of junior doctors and nurse anaesthetists.

Zimbabwe Provision of primary care and establishment of regular health development checks for 200 orphans.