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Thought I had better post this (due to previous post by Geoff) to advise you all that we at Hilditch have been overwhelmed by the support already offered by engineers for the Amalthea Trust project. Mike is flying to Uganda again next week for an update on progress and we hope to start sending engineers out from September onwards in time for the new year term.

I'd also like to point out that the Amalthea Trust was founded for just the purpose that has been mentioned in Geoff's post - to fund the establishing of a training school and also to fund the training of the local techs themselves.

Thank you all for your continued interest, we are still keen for more engineers to be involved. (Ed - we'd love to have you on board).

Thanks for that update, Anna.

Let's hope that Kyambogo becomes the Centre of Excellence for trainee techs from all across Africa.

Twenty techs per year should make a difference (which is exactly what's wanted).

My only doubt is that if Health Ministries in general, and hospitals in particular continue to pay a pittance to their staff, nor provide the resources they so badly need, then those guys will end up taking their freshly honed skills elsewhere.

One of the things I didn't mention earlier (as my posts were getting a bit ... er, long) is what I call "partnering". By this I mean hospitals and companies here in the UK (the US, wherever) supporting, and where necessary sponsoring, techs "out there" (techs working for small servicing companies, for instance).

Once again, this is something that Ed and myself have looked into, in liaison with some of the African guys (and gal, in one case) who we are pleased to have participating on this forum. To my mind, if there is equipment to be fixed in, say, Uganda (for example), then it makes more sense for "our man in Kampala" to have a look at it, rather than having a guy travel all the way from London. At the very least, he can "report back", so if a visit is absolutely necessary, the right parts etc. can be brought out, rather than the trip being just another reconnaissance.

As always, there are more ways than one! As long as there is trust (and I find that amongst techs there generally is), then co-operation and collaboration is the key.

Hi,

Just thought that I would give a quick update on the Amalthea Trust project. I was given the post as the project coordinator, and started yesterday. Got lots to organise in order to get the teaching started in the last week of September or the first week in October. I'm flying out to Kampala at the weekend and should hopefully have a much clearer idea of how things stand at the University and the Hospital in general. We've had a lot of support from engineers willing to give time and / or expertise, but if anyone new wants to get involved, please let me know.

Regards,

Steven

Hey,

How come i had missed some good stuff on this thread, please am in Kampala - Uganda and would love to be part of the team carrying out both training and installation for any of the equipment .

You can get me on email and Mob +256 772 497222

Steven which University are you looking at? Kyambogo has just started a enrolling students for a diploma in biomedical engineering.

This will benefit our new technicians in Uganda

Hi Roman,

Thanks for showing interest in the project. The course is being run at Kyambogo University, and it might be the same one you are thinking about "Honours Bachelor's Degree - Biomedical Engineering". I'll send you an email later today with some more information and we can discuss it further.

Steven

Hello Steven,

Thanks for the info, indeed am waiting for the email and Kyambogo University is where i did my Higher National Diploma in Electrical and Electronics engineering, completed it in 2001.

Regards

Roman

I hear that Rigel has donated some 266 Plus safety testers to the Cause.

So what can we say but:- "Well done"!

This is a great topic! Hope the work you are all doing can expand.

I am a Trustee of an Altrincham based charity who works in Africa and we have been introducing Medical Elective placements to our program over the past 24 months. Mostly in Uganda.

It doesn't seems completely out of the realms of possibility to partner or at least promote the work being done here - we seems to have some interesting common ground!

For interest: www.act4africa.org

If anyone involved wants to write an article for me (a picture would be useful too) then we could consider putting something up on the site. Our newsletter goes out monthly so next one due 25th Nov.

Email me via forum if of interest - and again, to everyone contributing to this, good work!!

That's a nice website, Chris.

Does Act4Africa get involved with shipping donated equipment, I wonder?