Diamedica's Jon Meek embarks on a visit to Uganda for the annual ADC course and Mbale Hospital visit.
Anaesthesia in Developing Countries Course
This specialised program, designed by Mike Dobson, addresses the unique needs of anaesthetists from high-income countries, offering tailored training for those intending to work or support healthcare in low-resource settings. Diamedica's Jon Meek attended the course to deliver a workshop detailing his experience in the field including the following subjects; oxygen supply in LMICs, procurement, draw over machines, electrical and gas safety and maintaining equipment in LMICs.
During the week, attendees gain experience and knowledge of clinical practice within a limited resource setting, They also learn about the different equipment used, information on what medications or equipment might be unavailable and how to adapt to challenging and quickly changing environments.
The provision of safe anaesthesia in low-resource settings is difficult but essential to reduce avoidable illness and mortality and a significant amount is preventable by safer and better resourced anaesthetic practice.
For this reason, many anaesthetists from high income countries wish to support health care providers in LMICs in an effort to reduce the health burden in a particular place. When they do so, they encounter enormous differences between the environment in which they trained (with reliable power, sources of compressed oxygen and other gases, sophisticated machines and modern drugs) and that faced by their LMIC colleagues.
The ADC course facilitates informed partnership and collaboration by offering training around common contexts and challenges faced in the low-resource setting.
A Visit to Mbale Hospital: Witnessing Life-Saving CPAPs in Action
During his stay in Uganda, Diamedica's Jon Meek had the privilege of visiting Mbale Regional Referral Hospital’s neonatal ward. This busy centre of care plays a critical role in supporting some of the most vulnerable patients—newborns fighting for their lives in resource-limited settings.
The ward was full of Diamedica’s CPAP machines in action. These machines are easy to operate, even with limited training, and their durability suits the challenging conditions the neonatal care team often face. They make an undeniable difference in the fight against neonatal respiratory distress, one of the leading causes of infant mortality worldwide.
During the visit Jon commented on the dedication of the staff, who work tirelessly despite the demands of a busy ward. “Their ability to combine compassion with expertise is truly inspiring. Every baby there is a fighter, and tools like our CPAPs give them a fighting chance.” Jon said.
Jon also took the time to undertake some maintenance on 3x machines that needed attention, restoring to full functionality and getting them back to work on newborns who need them most.
Our visit highlighted the importance of partnerships in advancing healthcare. By designing solutions tailored to the realities of hospitals like Mbale, Diamedica is not just providing equipment but also strengthening the capacity to deliver life-saving care.
