Autumn Newsletter 2024

For a number of reasons largely beyond our control 2024 has been a very quiet year for the Trust, which is in stark contrast to last year. The main reason was that both the Kyambogo (Uganda) and the Evelyn Hone College (Zambia) programs were put on hold for the year by our respective partner organisations, for very different reasons specific to each of them.  However, we have now had the go-ahead from Kyambogo University in Kampala that they will be requiring our volunteers once again starting February 2025, and we are expecting to hear the same soon from Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka. However, the overall result has been to leave us with a relatively quiet operational year in 2024.

When it became apparent that both of the current major programs would not be going ahead this year, we turned our attention instead to online training and advertised our availability to run such sessions  (potentially free of charge) on our website. Very quickly we found ourselves in discussion with Makerere University, Kampala, for our volunteers to deliver a series of practical sessions on specific types of equipment with the BME students there. These took place as a series of one-day sessions on several Sundays throughout September and October. The sessions were deemed a great success by Makerere and there are already plans to run more of them early in 2025. These are great opportunities for potential volunteers who don’t want to spend a couple of weeks in the field in Africa, but who are willing to give us a Sunday to engage with aspiring BME students in these areas of need.

The two images above show Andy Barrow and Lewis Brazier (from East Kent Hospitals University Trust) on two separate Sundays covering fault-finding, repair and maintenance of patient monitors and ventilators respectively. These sessions were run from the offices of Hilditch Group in Malmsbury who gave us free access to their online suite. This excellent facility, plus access to a wide range of relevant equipment from their auction floor, made the whole experience both more comfortable and effective. Roger Sanders, the Head of Engineering at Hilditch (and one of our Trustees) was very generous with his time to unlock, set-up and clear-up after us. Many thanks also must go to long-term volunteer Mr Terry Timmons (Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust) for running sessions on incubators and oxygen concentrators.

The image below, incidentally, shows both ends of the interactive session with our end on one side and the students at Makerere on the other following the instructions from our volunteers. They are also posting questions in the chat on the right-hand side which would then be addressed by our volunteers.

We anticipate doing a lot more of these Zoom sessions in 2025 and are in fact currently investigating requests from institutions in both Ghana and Nigeria to conduct similar online training.

Unfortunately, Martin was unable to attend this year’s annual EBME conference back in June due to a bout of COVID, but instead the conference was showed a pre-recorded annual update on our work which was well received and led to a good amount of interest and a healthy number of BMEs joining the ranks of our potential volunteers. Technology to the rescue once again! Thanks to Hilditch Group for once again hosting us on their stand.

So, with plenty in the pipeline for 2025, including returns to both Kyambogo University in Uganda and Evelyn Hone College in Zambia, the Amalthea Trust is looking forward to an exciting New Year.

With Best Wishes to all our volunteers and followers for a successful and productive 2025.

The Amalthea Trust Team