A University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) consultant has secured £65,000 in funding to support an educational programme in Uganda around better use of antibiotics.

Dr Pasco Hearn, consultant microbiologist, applied for the funding after a trip to Lira in Uganda last year. The trip was part of the Poole Africa Link programme, which sees teams from the hospital visit the local university and hospital in Lira to provide training. 

The £65,000 funding, from the Tropical Health Education Trust and the Commonwealth Pharmacists' Association, will be used to bolster the microbiology labs in Lira Hospital and to encourage clinicians there to re-look at how they use antibiotics. Medics from Lira will also visit UHD to share their experiences.

The focus will be on ‘teaching the teacher’, establishing infection prevention and antimicrobial champions who will continue the work for the benefit of the community for years to come.

Millions of pounds is spent on antibiotics every year by the NHS and antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today.

Dr Hearn said: “Antibiotic resistance can affect anyone, of any age, in any country and can lead to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs and increased deaths. However, we can do something to reduce the impact and limit the spread of resistance.”

“Visiting Uganda, you see first-hand the constraints of working within limited resources, something we are often asked to do now in the NHS. It is also a healthy reminder that the world is not a fair place and that the NHS is a valuable and extraordinary service that we are lucky to have,” he added.

The Poole Africa Link trips are an opportunity for UHD staff to hone their skills at making pragmatic decisions, help spread the positives of a no-blame culture, learn how to plan and deliver succinct education, and importantly, support individual wellbeing.

Dr Hearn said: “It can be a challenging environment to work in but we are no strangers to challenges working in the NHS. As we mark our NHS’ 75^th birthday, it feels only right that we take the core values of ‘improving lives’ and ‘commitment to quality of care’ to a global community.”

You can find out more about Poole Africa Link at pooleafricalink.org.uk